


Wicked

by MercuryPilgrim



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Bad Flirting, Bitchy androids, Connor does bad puns, Connor isn't innocent, Consent is Sexy, Cute, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Fluffy Smut, Francis the Tripod Cat, Gavin Reed Redemption, Gavin says bad words, Gay Disaster Gavin Reed, M/M, No one believes it, Panic Attacks, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), Protective Hank Anderson, Self-indulgent fluff to counteract all the angst in this fandom, Smut, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Updates every weekend, no beta we die like men, smutty fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-28
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2019-07-18 18:01:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 46,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16123829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MercuryPilgrim/pseuds/MercuryPilgrim
Summary: 'Gavin liked to be alone, but that didn’t mean he didn’t get lonely.He would never admit it, of course. No one needed to know that Gavin Reed was a pathetic man whose only loves were his cat, his job, and his Netflix subscription.'Connor won't stand for that, even if the Detective refuses to make it easy for him.





	1. A Bad Day™

**Author's Note:**

> This is not set in the same universe as Uncanny. 
> 
> I needed something cute and fluffy in order to counteract all the angst and dubcon in this fandom. 
> 
> Pure, self indulgent fluff with a sprinkling of smut, garnished liberally with swears.

Gavin Reed was having a Bad Day™.

It had started out rather well, since he had not only found a full jar of peanut butter in his cupboard, but his drive to work had been traffic free and generally pleasant. He was not working on an active case, and his morning had been spent doing small, useful jobs that made him feel productive, if not a little bored.

Gavin was intimately familiar with Bad Days™ and believed he had experienced enough to know when he was having one.

He had found a helpful post-it on his desk when he came back from a coffee break, written in perfect Cyberlife Sans.

He had ripped it off his monitor, quickly read it, before throwing it in the bin.

Even the handwriting was annoying. Too fucking perfect, and too fucking _fake_.

He glared over the bullpen, gaze zeroing in on the figure occupying the desk opposite Anderson’s. The plastic detective. What a joke.

The thing was apparently alive now, or some such horseshit. It had, and he didn’t contain his scoff, _feelings_.

It was working diligently at the desk, typing with greater speed and precision a human could manage, eyes scanning the screen intently. He knew from experience that it would and could stay like that for hours, until it was time to leave or Anderson dragged it away.

His lip curled, and he put it out of his mind.

Ugh, it was getting _paid_ now.

He hoped it wasn’t getting paid more than he was.

It must have been paid some already, considering it no longer wore that tailored suit with the glowing blue adornments. No serial number, no lettering that marked it as an android, not even the blue band on its arm. Just a plain suit in a similar style, simple and clean cut. At least it had kept the LED at its temple, he thought mulishly. It was wearing black today, and he had heard Anderson complaining that it was ‘looking like a Fed' with the suit and tie.

It had tilted its head and given a smile, replying with something that made Hank roll his eyes and tell it to ‘fuck off’, good nature shining in his tone.

It had smiled again and gone back to work.

Gavin wanted to go over there and- he didn’t know what. Mess it up somehow. It was so perfect, he wanted to make it lose that stupid smile, distress it’s suit and rumple its stupid hair and watch as it tried to fix it.

It was fastidious with its appearance, they had all noticed. Chen had told him she found it cute.

Gavin had sneered and made a mental note to spill coffee on it as soon as he could.

* * *

It was a few hours later when he had to venture over to that side of the bullpen, needing some of the minutes from the latest team meeting from Anderson.

He had resolved not to talk to it at all, but as soon as he got close, he spotted Anderson spit out a foul word or five and reach into his pocket. He answered his phone and walked away with a scowl as he talked, and Gavin wanted to curse.

“Can I assist you, Detective Reed?"

“Fuck off.” He grunted, annoyed. He looks down at it, the urge to dump lukewarm coffee over its head growing ever stronger.

“I believe Hank is speaking to his bank, he will not be back for some time.” It said pleasantly, slim fingers stopping their typing and resting on the desk. It looked up at him with big doe eyes, earnest and sweet. He hated it.

Gavin frowned. “His bank? What the fuck for?”

It shrugged and looked entirely too human. “I believe someone with his details is purchasing... questionable things with his money.” It said simply. “He is attempting to deal with the situation.”

Gavin snorted. “Well, that’s fucking funny.” He drawled, amused. “Send me the minutes from this morning’s meeting.” He grunted.

It gave him a flat look. “As you wish, Detective.” It said lightly, and it sounded like it was sassing him. That couldn’t have been right though, could it?

He made a noise in the back of his throat and made to walk away, but its voice rang out after him.

“You are _welcome_ , Detective Reed.” It said, tone too pleasant to be genuine. He hated it _so_ much. “Have a good day.”

Gavin ground his teeth and marched away.

Over the next few weeks, he interacted with it as little as he could. However, there were only so many detectives that worked homicide, and it was one of them. It often worked solo now, even if it did seem more comfortable partnering with Anderson.

It was one such event that had him thinking up ways of subtly feeding the thing battery acid and wondering if he would get away with it.

It had been his crime scene, but Fowler had assigned it to aid him anyway, considering the sheer size of the operation. Three bodies in various pieces, some occult bullshit, and enough hard drugs to fund a small third world country. Awesome.

It walked into his crime scene like it was a TV scene, all perfect hair and immaculate suit. It seemed to be feeling professional today, but he couldn’t say the same.

“Oh, so the plastic detective finally graces my crime scene with his shiny, still-under-warranty ass.” He called, making the officers in his vicinity turn towards the noise. It picked it’s way carefully over pools of blood, dark eyes observing the carnage.

“Detective Reed,” it greeted like it hadn’t even heard him. “Do you have anything for me?”

Gavin snorted. “A kick in the ass and a cab home?”

Its eyes moved to meet his own. It looked unimpressed. “You seem to have a fixation with my ass, Detective. It is not conductive to our current investigation. Maybe you would like to discuss this issue later?”

Gavin felt his lip curl and his cheeks flush. It was baiting him, he knew it.

“Fuck off,” he grunted. “Do your thing then, you hunk of junk.”

It stepped smoothly around him. “I am an advanced prototype, Detective.” It said lightly, moving to bend down and examine one of the bodies. “I am not junk.”

Before Gavin could respond, it gently dipped a fingertip into the blood of semi-congealed blood and brought it to its mouth. Gavin, horrified and disgusted, made an aborted grabbing motion.

“What the fuck are you doing, you freak?” He hissed, watching several of the officers turning green or watching with interest. “You fucking moron, what do you think-"

It looked up, brown eyes innocent and its head tilted like a puppy. “I can analyse samples in real time, Detective.” It said simply. “My apologies, I presumed most people in our department were aware by now.”

Gavin curled his lip, annoyed. “Obviously not, dumbass.” He grunted, his hands balled into fists. “What else have you got? Can you fucking lick a person and tell me what they had for dinner?” He snarked. He got a blank look, confused and puppy sweet.

“Detective, I can assure you that my mouth has many applications,” It said, with an innocent, bland smile. “I can provide you with a list, should you require a more in-depth assessment of my skills.”

One of the officers, a tall woman with her hat pulled low over her face, stifled a laugh and had to turn away. Gavin felt his face go red. It was an android, he mentally told himself. It didn’t understand anything, it’s just a pile of plastic and metal and it has no idea why they’re laughing at it. Stupid piece of shit.

The case was an easy one, and they had it shut in under a week. Unfortunately, Fowler saw this as a divine sign to have them work together more often.

Sometimes, Gavin hated his life.

* * *

 

Gavin felt like he was going mad. Since that morning, he had begun noticing things, and he felt like there was something wrong with his brain. The android was oblivious, he knew (It was so stupid he felt like he was dealing with a child), but his mind kept taking the thing it was saying and warping them.

“It’s raining Detective, do you need a _ride_?”

“Detective Reed, how can I be of _service_ to you?

“Detective, you chased that suspect through two city blocks! That’s above average stamina for a human male of your age.”

“This body was designed for a wide variety of physical tasks, perhaps I could provide a _practical demonstration?_ ”

“I can assure you Detective, I have all the _equipment_ required.”

“If you could refrain from insulting me Detective, it would help us work more _closely_ together.”

“I would advise against that course of action, Detective. I can get out of handcuffs, _should I wish to_.”

“Your heart rate has increased, Detective. I can assure you, my intentions are not to _harm_ you while we are alone.”

“Detective, the back seat of your car is not an appropriate place for a debrief.”

“Multi-tasking is one of my _many_ functions.”

“As I have previously stated Detective, my mouth has many uses. Would you like me to demonstrate?”

Gavin couldn’t help but feel his face go red. The whole station knew, of course. Gossip was as prevalent around the DPD bullpen as coffee and paperwork, and everyone seemed to be at least peripherally aware that Connor was now working with Gavin, and that the android didn’t have a clue that what he was saying could be misconstrued.

Gavin fought a splutter as the android tilted its head as he waited for a response, big brown eyes looking at him with unnerving intensity and a charming amount of innocence.

“You doin’ this on purpose?” He snarled, flushing. “Don’t say shit like that.”

Connor frowning slightly, looking confused. “I don’t understand.” It admitted. “You do not seem to be familiar with my functions, which could impair our effectiveness in the field. I was merely offering-"

Gavin felt himself cringe as he heard Chen and another officer muffle their laughter.

“Just... fucking forget it.” He muttered, “You stupid piece of plastic. No wonder Anderson is drinking himself to death If he’s working with you every day.”

Connor didn’t stop frowning. In fact, his expression grew graver.

“Detective Reed, please do not speak about Lieutenant Anderson that way.” It requested, and Gavin blinked. He was annoyed that it was choosing this moment, public and with attention on them, to talk back to him. It was infuriating. He stepped forward, into the android’s space. Connor looked down at him, several inches taller than him. Gavin glared, pissed off.

“Are you telling me what to do, plastic?” He grunted, voice low. He wouldn’t be beaten by a machine, by a subroutine running through synthetic synapses. It was insulting.

Connor, to his surprise, didn’t back up. Those brown eyes weren’t so warm, now.

“I’m _requesting_ that you desist.” It said simply, a frown working its way between its brows. “Insulting me is acceptable, but I would rather you not insult a man who is not even here to defend himself.”

Gavin sneered. “Oh, I see how it is.” He drawled, his mind blank but for the heavy blanket of viciousness clouding his thoughts. He was angry, and he wanted the android to _hurt._

“You sucking his dick, plastic?” He mocked, prodding the android hard in the chest, enough to hurt. “You get on your knees for a drunken old piece of shit, let him do anything to you?”

 Connor’s expression seemed to darken. “Please don’t touch me.” He murmured.

Gavin grinned, showing teeth. “I bet you let _anyone_ touch you-" he went to poke the android again, and suddenly his fingers were in agony.

He dimly realised he had cried out and doubled over, holding his hand. His eyes watered, and he stumbled back, aware that there was suddenly a lot more noise than there had been. Connor was being held back by Chen and another officer, and three people had their guns out and pointed at the android. People were shouting. Connor wasn’t resisting being restrained, and its face held more emotion than Gavin had ever seen on it. Brown eyes were intense, and its mouth was a grim slash, and it looked like it was almost baring its teeth.

Its stance was aggressive, his hands balled into fists.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Fowler's voice boomed as he surveyed the scene from the top of his stairs, clearly furious.

Gavin felt hysterical. “It broke my fucking hand!” He snapped, keeping his distance. It felt surreal.

Connor seemed to force himself to relax. “I... apologise, Captain Fowler.” It said, tone forcibly calm. Chen flinched. The android relaxed its stance, and fixed its collar. Its expression was dark and its eyes were fixed on Gavin, never wavering. “I asked him not to touch me, but I should not have given in to his goading. I... I will report to your office.” It said, stepping back.

“I only dislocated two fingers.” It said stiffly. “You should admit yourself to hospital.”

The bullpen was silent as the android walked away, shoulders set and expression stony, heading for Fowler's office. The Captain himself looked angry and taken aback. He scowled.

“Reed, get yourself fixed. Chen, go with him.” He barked, slamming the door behind him and drawing the blinds on the windows.

Gavin swallowed painfully, clutching his hand.

Chen slung his jacket over his shoulders to spare his throbbing fingers. Her face was pinched and hard. As she draped his jacket over him, she paused. “If you had said that kind of shit to me, I would have done worse than dislocate a few fingers.” She grunted, and Gavin felt something slimy and roiling settle in his stomach. It was heavy and made him feel sick.

* * *

He heard from Chen that Connor was assigned to desk duty for the next few weeks and had a formal disciplinary in his formerly spotless record.

She had also seen fit to inform him that Hank was furious, both with him for instigating and goading the android, but also with Connor for acting as he had.

He realised that he felt bad for driving a wedge between the two. He was only out of action for a week, but it was enough to make him feel like he was going stir crazy. Still, when faced with the prospect of walking through the doors to the DPD building, he felt reluctant. Anxiety was not an uncommon feeling for him, and he hated it.

Never having been one to chicken out of _anything_ , he took a breath, pushed the door open, and faced the music.

People barely noticed him come in, which was nice. A few stopped to look, and some nudged their friends, seemingly filling them in on the gossip. He gritted his teeth and walked on towards his desk. It was as he had left it, mug half full of now week-old coffee. He wrinkled his nose and sat, sighing and resisting the urge to itch under the bandages on his fingers.

He glanced to his right, and spotted the back of Anderson’s head, bent over something on his desk. Connor was working diligently at his station, typing something. He sighed and resolved to get his own affairs in order before doing anything else. His desk was a mess.

It took the better part of the morning for him to clear the backlog, and it was just as he was stretching his back to get rid of the persistent ache did he let his eyes fall on the android. It was still working, but it was sipping on a mug of something, small white buds in its ears. It was listening to music. He was dumbfounded. Had Connor always done that, or was it something new? Had he never noticed?

He sighed and dragged his mind away. Androids were fucking weird and unnerving and they made him feel jittery. An ‘uncanny valley’, he had read somewhere. He hated being off balance, not in control. It was suffocating. He breathed in, his head buzzing with thoughts.

Androids had not been around forever. In fact, the years between them first being lauded and the new breakthrough and one in three homes in America having at least one unit really weren’t many at all.

Gavin had been old enough to understand the hype and remember the whirlwind of android-fever that had swept the country. He had clear memories of a time before androids, and now he lived in a world full of them. It was jarring, and it made him feel somewhat off kilter. Fossils like Hank had been through enough ‘next big new thing’ deals that they didn’t care anymore, and those younger than him had barely known a world without androids.

His generation was left feeling pushed aside and skewed, not fitting in. He had assumed androids were just the same as all the other gadgets that people insisted was the next big thing that would revolutionise the world. Interesting, but ultimately a useless fad.

Then the fad had become an epidemic, and things started to shift.

Then the fad started taking jobs, and his friends would complain in the bar after work. All those bright promises of good jobs and a future were being washed away by LEDs and programmed obedience.

Then it hit home that things were not okay. Like the data scandal of the twenty-teens that had rocked the world, people started waking up.

Androids were everywhere. Suddenly, people seemed to have forgotten how to do things without them.

As a proudly independent young man, it had angered Gavin Reed no end. He and his had been promised the world, and now those promises tasted like lies. He had fought to be on the same playing field as all the other kids, let alone excel. He had clawed, tooth and nail, for every scrap that he could, and now he was being told that it wasn’t enough.

Sorry, but your application has been unsuccessful.

He hated those words.

He resented them. His colleagues hated them. His friends talked of nothing else.

And so, he had gone on.

Until things changed. Now another upheaval rocked his world.

Androids were people.

He didn’t believe a damn word. This was just another crusade, just another social frenzy that would be forgotten soon enough. It was like saying his car now had feelings because it could drive itself.

 What a load of shit.

Connor.

He had seemed genuinely angry, then.

It was the first time Gavin Reed had ever entertained the idea that maybe androids _did_ have feelings. Connor had certainly seemed angry enough.

He swallowed painfully and got up to get coffee. He needed it.

* * *

Three months. It had been three months since the incident, and Gavin bad been avoiding Connor for just as long.

Hank had found him eventually and had been as rough and angry as he could have expected. The precinct was divided. Some thought Gavin was an ass who deserved his badge taken away. Others thought the whole thing was blown out of proportion.

Gavin kept his head down. His own punishment, desk duty and a disciplinary, came and went with nary a flicker.

Connor was worse. The android actively avoided Gavin but remained stonily polite whenever he couldn’t get away with not talking to him. It... hurt. It made him feel like shit. He had tried to rationalise, to push the blame onto someone else, but that hadn’t worked.

He hated feeling guilty. Guilt made him feel sick.

He had noticed something else. The innuendo had stopped.

The realisation that Connor had been doing it on purpose, probably to mess with him or exact some harmless revenge, was staggering. He had assumed Connor was just sort of... dim. Machines didn’t do that.

 Machines didn’t do that, but people did.

Now that he knew the truth, he almost missed it.

The endgame came in the break room, while Gavin was getting a coffee. Decaf. He had started watching his caffeine after he noticed that it was making his current feelings worse.

Connor walked in and paused when he saw Gavin, before nodding stiffly and making to leave as soon as he had entered. Seized by a sudden wave of frustration, Gavin felt his hand tighten on the mug in his hand.

“Hey,” he managed, his voice sounding strange to his own ears.

Connor paused. “Yes, Detective?” He asked formally, his mouth suddenly pulled into a faint sneer. It didn’t look right on such a sweet face, and his eyes regarded him coolly.

Gavin sighed.

“I... look, I shouldn’t have said what I did.” He muttered. “I didn’t think you... I didn’t think you had feelings, y'know?”

He shrugged helplessly and hid his hands in his sleeves. “I know now. I’m... sorry, okay? For all the other shit too.”

God, he felt like a moron. This had been a bad idea.

Connor stared, and Gavin had the uncomfortable feeling of being scrutinised.

“Okay.”

The bland response took Gavin off guard. He frowned. “Ahh, right. So, are we... Good?” He ventured. “Because I can’t tell.”

Connor took his time replying. “I take apologies very seriously, Detective. I am aware how hard they are to say, so if I get one that seems genuine, I do not dismiss it.” He gave a small, reserved smile. “So yes, we are... Good.”

Gavin felt the floor give way beneath him, or that’s how it felt. He blew out a breath, feeling the near omnipresent knots in his stomach untangling. It was a nice feeling. Also, he felt stupid. Was it so easy?

“Just one question.” He muttered. “The things you uh, used to say. It was on purpose, wasn’t it?”

Gavin wasn’t sure if it was a recent development or something he had just never noticed before, but Connor managed to look mischievous.

“I don’t understand what you mean, Detective. Clarify?”

Gavin gave him a look, as though trying to figure him out. “Yeah,” he grunted. “I thought so.”

* * *

It was, of course, easier said than done. The atmosphere was still awkward and somewhat stilted, both parties wary of the other.

Still, there were less insults. Well, sort of.

Gavin had slipped up once or twice and called Connor a dipshit, to which he had cringed and expected the cold shoulder. Instead, Connor had seemed amused, and so the beginnings of banter was established. Gavin would throw schoolyard insults, and Connor would respond with his own brand of sass, and innocent innuendo. Gavin hadn't realised it before, but the android could be kind of... bitchy.

It was... Good. Nice, even. Awkward as hell sometimes, but nice.

Fowler had been understandably wary of partnering them up again, but after four months of no incidents, Connor managed to convince him that they had worked out their differences.

Mostly.

Gavin grunted as he shoved past Connor, eager to get to the coffee. It might have been decaf, but he still liked the heat and taste.

Connor sighed, and Gavin sent him a glare as he shoved the rest of his breakfast bagel into his mouth. “Fuck off, it wasn’t that hard.” He grunted around his bagel and watched with glee as the android wrinkled his nose. Clearly, Connor had issues with manners.

Too bad for him, Gavin didn’t have many of those. Anderson, trailing behind the android, rolled his eyes.

“Your bill for damaging DPD equipment comes to seventeen dollars, sixty-four cents.” Connor said in perfect diction. “I have sent the bill to your account.”

He was so deadpan that Gavin stopped chewing, looking at him with narrowed eyes. “What the f-"

Anderson began to laugh. “Oh, the look on your fucking face.” He grinned, sidling by them and snagging a coffee and a day-old donut. He clapped Gavin on the shoulder as he went. “That’s made my damned morning.”

He left, deeply amused by Gavin’s embarrassment. Gavin glanced at Connor, and spotted a tiny smile playing about his mouth. He finished his bagel, glaring.

“You’re an asshole, you know that?” He muttered sourly.

Connor shrugged. “I suppose I learned from those around me.” He allowed. “Say, Detective Reed? I would like to ask you a favour.”

“No.”

“Detective, you don’t even know what it is yet.”

Gavin grunted at him.

Connor gave him a look.

“Detective, humankind has a remarkable capacity for speech. It would be a shame not to utilise it.”

Gavin glared. “Fuck _off_ , you little shit.” He muttered, mood souring. Connor always made him feel on the back foot, and he didn’t like it. The android sighed.

“As you wish, I suppose I shall have to ask Officer Chen to help me, since you are _obviously_ incapable.”

He shrugged and left, and Gavin took a furious sip of coffee. Connor was obviously fishing for him to offer to help anyway, but fuck that. Gavin had never liked doing what he was told.

His mood foul and his expression worse, he stomped towards his desk. His co-workers avoided him.

Gavin wasn’t sure if all Deviants were so bitchy, or if Connor was just special like that.


	2. Sexy, Angsty Gollum

Gavin had never been a man who was good at lying to himself. He wasn’t someone who had ever been able to convince himself of things he knew to be untrue. He was ambitious and unapologetic about his arrogance, but he had never been much of a liar.

So, when he found himself looking forward to bantering with Connor, his mood plummeted. The android was becoming a friend. Well, that was awkward.

Still, he had to admit that is was... nice. It was pleasant, having someone to talk to and banter with. Chris was his friend, but it felt good to have another. Chen had always been there at the periphery, but she gravitated closer with Connor. Soon, Gavin found that he had... friends. Plural. It was fucking weird, and nice.

Chris was a decent guy, kind and a calming presence a contrast to Gavin's whirlwind of anger issues and snark.

Tina Chen was impish and sly, an omnipresent grin stretching her face wickedly. She could be vicious and mean when she was displeased, but Gavin felt she mostly just didn’t care about the people around her.

Connor was... weird. He was cool headed and kind, except when it came to Gavin. Gavin seemed to bring out the claws in the ever-calm android, and the two of them couldn’t be in the same room without bickering.

Anderson, not one to socialise with anyone who wasn’t his dog or Connor, didn’t seem to be aware of the changing dynamic. Gavin thought that was probably for the best.

After all, he still wasn’t a nice guy. Nice guys didn’t get anywhere in life. He repeated that to himself as he balanced four cups of coffee on the paper holder and tried to open the precinct door with his foot.

* * *

Gavin _hated_ how Connor drove.

The android drove fast enough to make his stomach flip, but never managed to breach the speed limit. His cornering was ‘optimal’, which meant ‘last minute’ because he supposed androids could compute that kind of shit.

This combined into one of the safest, yet most hair-raising car journeys of his life.

“We are here.”

Gavin swallowed the lump in his throat. “Fuckin’ A, you silicone shithead.” He snarled, clutching the little handle on the roof for dear life. He regretted taking Connor up on his offer of a lift while his bike was in the shop. “I’m never letting you drive me anywhere ever again.”

Connor blinked. “Hank said the same thing,” he murmured. “I do not see what is so bad about letting me drive. I do not breach the speed limit-"

Gavin, however, had already gotten out of the car. He leaned down, peering through the open window.

“Thanks. Fuck off now, and don’t mow over any old ladies.” He smirked, watching as Connor gave him a look.

“You’re welcome, detective Reed.” He intoned with a drawl. “I’m happy to give you a ride, _any time.”_

Gavin wrinkled his nose. “That’s fucking creepy,” he muttered, cheeks pinking. “You like trying to get a rise out of me, don’t you?”

Connor shrugged, his eyes expressive and showing amusement. He seemed to like bantering with Gavin, and it made Gavin feel like he was doing something nice.

“I’ll see you at eight,” he said simply, “Although it might be safer to walk.” He grunted. “If I die, you’re feeding my cat.” He warned.

Connor’s eyes widened, and his face lit up. “You have a cat?” he asked, entire being radiating interest.

Gavin snorted. “And a snake. I’m not a dog guy.” He shrugged. “See ya.”

He noticed Connor looked slightly disappointed about something, although he couldn’t figure out what. He put it out from his mind. He didn’t care what the plastic detective was thinking.

The car started up again and Connor pulled away, and Gavin couldn’t help but smile as he noticed the android discreetly casting his eyes around for something. He was looking for the cat, Gavin realised with a laugh.

He wouldn’t find it, as Ass-Face (real name Francis) was an indoor cat only. Reaching his floor and unlocking his front door, the detective opened it, and was greeted with said cat.

Francis was ugly as _fuck_.

He was hairless and looked, in Gavin’s humble opinion, like a feline shaped ball sack. Or Gollum. The original Gollum, he meant, not the remake from a few years ago in which Gollum had abs. Sexy, angsty Gollum had made Gavin very uncomfortable.

His eyes were huge and bulbous, and his head was triangular, two huge ears making him look out of proportion. One ear had a chunk taken out of it, and his skinny tail was permanently crooked. He had one leg missing, but that didn’t stop him from climbing onto the back of the couch and staring disapprovingly at Gavin.

The man snorted, amused, and walked over to give the cat a scratch between his shoulder blades. A throaty purr emanated from the animal, sounding like a truck with engine trouble.

“Been good?” He asked gruffly, absently petting the cat. “Found your leg yet, Tripod-boy?” He grinned and gave Francis one last scratch before heading for the kitchen. “You want some dinner?”

A croaky, off-tune meow answered him.

“Yeah, me too.”

* * *

Gavin’s next revelatory experience was during an investigation. They were at a crime scene, and he was a few minutes behind Connor. Anderson was already on another case, so the dream team had been split up for the time being.

Gavin stepped out of the car, muttering a quick thanks to the officer that had been driving. Gavin could drive but preferred his bike, which wasn’t appropriate for arriving at crime scenes on.

He hurried past the crowd of gawkers, flashing his badge to gain entry. “Hey,” he murmured to the officer manning the perimeter. “Is Connor here yet?”

The woman looked at him like he was an idiot. “Who's Connor?” she asked, clearly bored.

Gavin winced, realising that while he certainly knew the android by sight, it didn’t mean the entire force did.

“Uh, the other detective. Tall, brown hair, kinda looks like a puppy in a suit?” He asked, shooting her a little grin. The officer snorted.

“The android? Yeah, he’s inside.” She assured. “Good luck in there, it’s a shit show.”

Not feeling particularly cheered by that, Gavin headed in. He immediately wrinkled his nose, the chemical smell of Thirium hitting his nostrils. Thirium smelled like gasoline and fresh paint, and it was _everywhere_. Blue was splashed on every surface he could see, and it squished under his feet. The was a body right at the door. It was a teenage android, his head caved in and laying on his back with a look of abject surprise on his face.

 Expression pulled into a grimace, Gavin dodged various crime scene personnel, and headed for the sound of Connors voice.

The detective was speaking to a forensic tech, and there seemed to be a disagreement between them.

“I can assure you,” Connor was saying, his tone measured and cool. Gavin could tell he was getting annoyed by how forced his manners seemed to be. “I have authorisation to be here.”

The tech shook his head. “I don’t care, I don’t want some token android walking all over my crime scene.” The man was dressed in a white technician’s suit, his goggles on and his mask muffling his words, his rubber gloved hands moving as he talked. “I’m sorry, but you will have to wait until the detective gets here.”

Gavin saw Connor frown. “ _I_ am a detective,” he said, firm. “And I earned my badge. I did the exams and the interviews just like everyone else.” He assured. “I will do my job with or without your permission. I am simply trying to be polite.”

The tech sighed, his shoulders tense. “I get it. I’m not trying to be an ass, I’m just trying to make sure-"

Gavin had heard enough.

“Connor,” he greeted, walking over. He saw Connors stance relax a little and ignored how that made him feel. “You started yet?”

Connor shook his head. “No, I have not been allowed access to the scene.” He said, tone flat.

Gavin, fully aware of this, put on a frown. “Oh. Why? You forget your badge or something?” He teased. He turned to the technician. “He’s good, man. You can let him in.” He smiled. By the technicians startled look, he didn’t manage to make it any less vicious than he felt.

Connor nodded sharply to him and headed off into the horror show that was the scene, leaving the technician with Gavin. The tech looked torn.

“Is it... is it wise to let it wander around?” He asked Gavin, glancing over. “I mean, I’m sure that it’s allowed to-"

Gavin sighed. “Listen man, shut up.” He grunted. “He’s here, he’s good at his job, he’s not going anywhere, he could break you in half with one hand. Just... Just get on with it, okay?”

He folded his arms. Okay, so Connor _couldn’t_ snap a man in half with one hand. Thankfully, the tech didn’t know that.

The technician didn’t look happy, but he nodded. “I guess.” He said, tone bitter. He left, and Gavin patted himself on the back for not getting angry. That had been frustrating. Had _he_ been that annoying? He hoped not.

Something told him that he had been worse.

He was aware Connor preferred to do his own analysis alone, and then talk over his findings once he believed he had all he could. Gavin worked the same way and headed towards another part of the house.

Thirium was splashed everywhere, and he had to gingerly step over an android corpse in the hallway leading to the stairs. He studied the body, bending down to observe in closer detail.

The android had been a female, given the appearance of a plump woman in her forties. From the look of her, she had been beaten until she shut down. She was frozen in her death throes, her hand raised to fend off an attacker, the other braced against the floor. Her fingers were broken like wheat, snapped and standing at off angles. Her stocking clad legs were nothing more than ruined plastic and metal, oddly angled and useless. Wires and struts were bent and stuck out of her skin where they had forced their way through, Thirum giving the dull metal a faint blue sheen. Gavin peered at her face and felt his stomach turn.

Her mouth was open too wide in a scream, her unhinged jaw giving her an unsettling expression. Her eyes bulged wide, and one was popped out of its socket, Thirium running down her face. That side of her head was caved in, a faint flicker of blue wiring was visible in her head. Her hair, once set in fussy brown curls, was half ripped from her head along with some of her scalp, showing cracked, shiny white plastic underneath. Her sensible clothes were Thirium soaked and ruined.

Gavin looked at her.

She reminded him of his foster-mom. He shook his head and stood up.

She wasn’t anything, anymore. Just a body. He noted his findings on his tablet and moved on, his mind compartmentalizing as he went.

It felt like an age when Connor tapped his shoulder, and he snapped back into reality. Sound seemed to filter back into his perception, and he felt like he had surfaced from underwater.

He blinked, and the android tilted his head.

“You found anything?” He asked the other man, and he watched Connor nod.

There was a time for banter, a time for teasing and play. Now was not it.

“Four victims.” Connor murmured. “All android. Looks like one attacker, one weapon.” He pointed to where the body of a male android was laying in the glass remains of a coffee table. “A metal baseball bat. The serial number has been scratched off, and I cannot detect any fingerprints. The four living here appeared to be a family. The woman in the hallway was a model SN970, designed for childcare, and the boy in the bedroom was a generation six YB800. Before the revolution, he was owned by a family who had a biological child of the same age and likely purchased him as company. The SN970 was their nanny.” Connor recited the information. “The teenage male, a generation fourteen TB100, and the older male, a PG120, seemed to have formed a family unit with them.” He paused, me looked a little pained. “From the bedrooms, I can assume that the PG120 and the SN970 were romantically involved and looked after the YB600 and the TB100 as though they were their children.”

The bat had been discarded next to the body of the older male. It was painted blue with Thirium.

Gavin nodded, ignored how his stomach twisted at the thought of this mismatched family, beaten to death in their own home. “Yeah. Looks like the attacker took them by surprise. Knocked on the door, and incapacitated victim number one. Then systematically went through the house and killed the rest.” He agreed. “The woman in the hallway was probably the last, considering the damage on her. They took their time with her.” He grunted, scanning his tablet. “No fingerprints, you say?”

Connor nodded, face grim. “None. No fibres from gloves either. I found traces of Thirium under the fingernails of the little boy in the bedroom.” He said quietly. “It doesn’t match any of the victims.”

Gavin blinked. “You think the attacker was an android?” he asked, mind turning with the implications. Android murderers. He thought about what would happen if he had to try and face down an enraged android, and he shivered.

Connor nodded. “The brutality of the attack suggests deviancy,” he reported, his voice staying clinical. He sounded more like a machine now than ever. Gavin envied him a little, being able to slip back into that cold mindset. “But the physical aspects of the attack? It’s... robotic.” He murmured. “Not Deviant at all. I think, and I have no hard evidence to support this, that our android attacker is not a Deviant.”

Gavin was quiet for several moments. “So, how is that possible? The programming doesn’t allow-"

 “I know.” Connor interrupted grimly.

He sighed, and Gavin was struck by the change in his demeanour. The android looked... tired. Not his face, since he never got black circles under his eyes, or sallow skin, or any of the other lovely features that came from a lack of sleep.

No, he just looked tense and tired and like he wanted to go home.

Gavin knew the feeling. Something about this had set him on edge. An image of the woman in the hallway, her jaw gaping wide as she screamed, holding her broken hands up to protect herself flickered in his mind. She was a machine, he knew that. She just looked so much like she was truly afraid, and it made him feel odd.

They were walking out, intending on heading to the precinct to continue working. Connor silently held the door open for him and he, too deep in thought to say anything mean, got in without protest.

They sat in quiet for a few moments, sealed away from the world in their little, metal bubble of quiet.

“Connor?” He asked, voice quiet. “Do you... Do you get scared?”

Connor seemed surprised at the question. He studied Gavin like one might study a difficult word puzzle.

“Yes.” He said simply. “I feel fear.” He started the engine, buckling his seatbelt. He waited for Gavin to do the same before moving the care carefully out into the road and beginning the drive back. “I feel a lot of things. Why do you ask?”

“That woman... The one in the hallway.” He muttered. “She looked scared.”

Connor seemed to frown. “Detective Reed, she was beaten to death with a baseball bat. I would say she was entitled to be scared.” He tone was clipped, and Gavin realised that Connor must have thought he was making fun of the woman.

“No, I... Just, I dunno.” He muttered, and hunched in on himself, the cars hum soothing his frayed nerves. “I guess I’m still not used to thinking of androids like people who feel shit.”

Connor sighed. “Detective Reed-"

“I know.” He cut the other off roughly. “I know, okay? Logically, I am aware you are a person. You feel, you think. I get it. It just... it’s just odd when I see that in an android that isn’t you, yeah?”

Connor was quiet as he drove.

“I suppose I can understand that.” He murmured eventually, his eyes on the road. “I am the first android you knew on a personal level. It makes sense to see me as... different.”

Gavin looked out of the window and stayed quiet.

* * *

The door to his apartment closed with a click, and Gavin felt the silence settle over him like fog.

He stayed there, standing still as he leaned against his front door, head bowed. Francis must have been sleeping, because the apartment felt still and quiet.

It struck him, suddenly, that he had gotten used to this. The idea of coming home to silence had become commonplace. It wasn’t often Gavin Reed would admit to wanting someone, but after a case like this that left him feeling raw, it would have been nice to come home to something more than silence and a cold apartment.

He sighed, and trudged inside, aware that he couldn’t go to bed yet. He dragged himself to the kitchen and removed a small zip-lock bag from a bowl of room temperature water that he had left out that morning. He ambled over to Bauble's tank, dropping two small, thawed mice into the tank, and running the back of his knuckles over the lazy snake’s head. Bauble, as usual, mostly ignored him.

He set out food for Francis in a state of numb tiredness, his mind elsewhere. He silently made his lunch for the next day, stowing it in the fridge. He couldn’t afford to buy lunch every day.

Finally, his tasks done, he could head for bed.

His routine was done in silence, as usual. Dully, he undressed and tossed what needed to be washed into the wicker bin in his airing cupboard. His sleeping pants were too big, and he curled his toes into them as he brushed his teeth, barely recognising the man in the mirror. He fell into bed, and lay there, exhausted but unable to calm his whirling mind.

His brain felt like a carousel, only someone had turned up the speed and he wanted off, but he had to hold on for dear life.

He curled up, hugging the duvet to himself, breathing in the scent of detergent. The smell of clean washing always calmed him down, and he felt himself start to come away from the edge. There was nothing wrong, but his mind screamed ‘too much!’ at him, and it set every nerve on edge. He hated it. Hated the powerless feeling of knowing logically that nothing was wrong right now but being unable to stop his body’s reaction.

Something hit his feet and he flinched, before realising that it was just Francis, who wobbled towards him on his three legs. Feeling foolish and off kilter, he drew the placid cat towards his chest and Francis went willingly, letting Gavin cuddle him close. The cat curled up, his burbling purr lulling Gavin to sleep better than anything he could do. He held onto the animal like Francis was a lifeline and felt a question float over the surface of his mind.

He thought back to the Android family that had been beaten to death in their home.

He wondered if they had stayed together out of necessity, or did androids get lonely too?

* * *

Gavin wasn’t sure if he liked how Connor was looking at him. The android seemed to be studying him intently when he thought Gavin wasn’t looking, but the human was very aware of the android’s eyes on him.

Eventually, he’d had enough. He looked up, a scowl firmly set on his features. He glared over at Connor, who looked embarrassed at having been caught out. The android quickly ducked his head and got to writing something, and Gavin felt a vicious sense of victory at making the other detective uncomfortable.

The feeling of being watched started up again a few minutes later. Grinding his teeth, he made to repeat his actions, but Connor had gotten wise to him, and was never looking over when he glanced up.

Eventually, he couldn't take it. With a scraping of his chair, Gavin stood up and marched towards the break room, intent on coffee.

He was calming himself with the scented steam rising from his mug when he was rudely interrupted.

“Detective Reed?”

Gavin wanted to scream. Couldn’t he have five fucking minutes?

“Fuck _off,_ plastic.” He grunted. He heard Connor sigh.

“I apologise, Detective. I did not mean to upset you.”

“Upse- I am not upset!”

The android blinked and tilted his head to the side. Gavin hated it when he did that, even if it made his belly feel warm.

“I... wanted to see if you are alright.” Connor admitted. “You were unsettled yesterday, and you do not seem to have gotten a healthy amount of sleep.”

Gavin narrowed his eyes. “And what the fuck are you scanning me for?” He asked roughly, annoyed at the attention.

Connor's cheeks flush faintly blue. Blushing was something he had realised only Deviants did, as there was no point in such a response for a non-Deviant android. A small subroutine had been made by some early Deviant android for blushing, and it had been shared around enough that they all seemed to do it.

It wasn’t endearing, it was freakish. One more reminder that they weren’t human.

“I am concerned.” Connor said with a frown, neatly inserting himself back into Gavin’s train of thought. “You are my partner.”

Connor said it so simply, as though that was all the answer one needed.

“Well,” he began with the tone of someone speaking to a particularly dim-witted child. “I’m fine. You can go now.”

He made a shooing motion with one hand and watched at Connor’s frown morphed into something understanding. He didn’t like that look; it was too close to pity.

Gavin scowled. “Are your fuckin’ ears broken? I said you can go. That means ‘Fuck off’ in human.” He snarled, unconsciously squaring his shoulders. “Or do you only speak binary?”

Connor took a step back, now looking annoyed. “As you wish, Detective.” He said simply and left without another word.

His anger deflating and going cold, Gavin slumped against the table. He sighed, feeling odd from the combination of guilt and relief flooding his system.

When he got back to his desk, much improved by some silence and sugary coffee, he found an email waiting for him. It was from Connor, oddly enough, and he wondered of the android was going to send him something scolding by email rather than in person.

Instead, the only text in the body of the email was a bunch of ones and zeroes. He frowned, looking at it.

01000001 01110011 01110011 01101000 01101111 01101100 01100101

It was obviously binary, but he hadn’t a clue what it meant. Clearly the android was being a smartass, and he couldn't help but feel somewhat amused. He glanced over and caught Connors eye. The android gave him what was dangerously close to a smug look, and turned back to his work, leaving Gavin feeling warm.

* * *

It happened when Gavin least expected it. He was feeling tired and stressed, and his mood had him feeling aggressive and standoffish. He was feeling fragile and unbalanced, his mind still drifting to the crime scene and keeping every awful detail fresh in his head.

He snapped at Chris and Tina, and generally terrorised anyone that got too close.

An email popped through, a reply to a report he had agonized over.

It was incorrect. He had made a mistake, and someone higher up had noticed. There was a curt order to attend a meeting to ‘discuss the issue’.

A twisting, writhing feeling settled in his belly, and he felt like he was going to be sick.

In his mind, he knew what was happening, and cursed at it. It didn’t help.

He tried to control his breathing, his hand gripping his own so tight his knuckles turned white.

No. No, he _refused_. He tried to force it all away with sheer force of will, but only succeeded on keeping himself balanced on the brink.

He wanted to scream, but he was in public. He refused to have people _know_. It wasn’t even a big deal, he knew that. His mind and body didn’t agree.

“Reed?” a voice called over, and he tried to ignore it.

“Hey Reed,” it was Anderson. Damn it all. “I know you can hear me, you fucker. I need those notes.”

A shadow fell across his desk and everything was too much, and he was going to be fucking fired and he would have to give up Francis and Bauble and his flat and he was being stupid, and he hated it all and he just wanted to be alone and-

“Hank, myself and Gavin were just about to go over some case notes.”

A hand descended on his shoulder, and he jumped, before feeling it squeeze reassuringly. He focused on breathing, head bowed.

“Would you mind emailing whatever you need over? We should have gone five minutes ago.” Connor sounded very apologetic, he realised dimly. He was peripherally aware of Anderson shrugging and leaving, before Connor sighed and leaned down just enough to murmur in his ear.

“Come on, Detective. Let’s go for a walk.” He suggested firmly.

Gavin felt his nails dig into his palm.

Connor all but hoisted him up. “Just a few feet, Detective.” he assured quietly, his tone calming.

Gavin latched onto that thought, and it propelled him that few feet until they were outside and between two brick walls.

He glared up at Connor as he leaned against the wall. The android looked concerned.

“The fuck was that for?” he snarled. “I’m fine, leave me alone.”

Connor sighed. “You’re having a panic attack, Detective.” He said gently, and Gavin hated him for being so _nice_. “It’s okay, no one is here but me.”

“Still one too fucking many,” he hissed, shoulders shaking. He wanted to let go. To release it all.

He couldn’t, though. Not while Connor was there.

His vision swam and a headrush made him stumble. He slid down the wall, his back scraping against the bricks. He felt a strangled noise wrench itself from his throat, and he wanted to scream.

He wanted it to stop. He hated this.

He was dimly aware of Connor moving to sit next to him on the cold, grimy ground, their knees touching.

The android, actions careful and slow, put his arm around the suffering human, and simply sat with him.

Gavin couldn’t find it in himself to care anymore. He wasn’t in public, only Connor would see. He let go, and it _hurt_.

He just needed to ride it out, he knew. Panic attacks were not uncommon, but he hadn’t had one this bad in a long time. He could taste salt and his vision was blurry.

He was _drowning_.

Dimly, he heard Connor speaking. The android didn’t seem to want a reply from him, which was good because that would have been far too much.

No, he was just... talking. His voice was pleasant and low, and he fell into a rhythm as he talked about anything and everything.

He was warm.

Gavin felt like shit.

He had no idea how long they sat there, only that his back ached and his ass was frozen. His felt exhausted, like he had run a marathon. He felt shaky and weak, and he loathed it.

Connor seemed to notice that he had gone tense again and gave his shoulder a light squeeze. “Detective? Are you alright?” He asked, voice low and close. Gavin didn’t want to think about how nice it was to have someone- anyone really, to lean on.

“Yeah.” He rasped, and he even sounded like shit. He lifted his head, and breathed in the scent of outside, cold wind and something warm and spicy that he realised must have been Connor’s cologne. He didn’t know the android wore any.

Embarrassment was creeping in.

“Thanks.” He muttered, face burning red.

Connor nodded silently. “I am... aware of panic attacks.” He said simply. “I learned how to deal with them when Hank has one.” He murmured.

Gavin blinked. “Anderson gets them?”

“He is rather open about it,” Connor admitted. “I... do not like to see him hurt like that. I don’t like seeing you hurt, either.”

Gavin hugged his knees. He felt like a child.

“Fuck,” he grunted, leaning his head back to look up to the slice of sky he could see. It was grey and cold. “I hate this. How fucking weak and stupid-"

“ _No_ , Detective.”

Gavin blinked. Connor was frowning at him.

“You are not weak, and not stupid. It’s nothing you have control over.” Connor said, firm. This seemed to be a thing for him. Gavin got the feeling he had said the same thing to Hank. “You manage it as best you can, and that’s neither weak nor stupid.”

There was silence for a few moments, before he tilted his head to the side and surveyed Gavin. “Do you want me to call someone for you?”

Gavin gave a slightly hysterical laugh. “Man, my cat ain’t going to come and pick me up.”

At Connor’s slightly confused look, he turned his head away. This situation kept getting more embarrassing.

“There’s no one _to_ come.” He grunted, sour. “S'how I like it.”

Connor was very quiet for a while, and Gavin realised that the android’s arm was still around his shoulders.

“Come on then,” he said suddenly, moving to stand up. He held a hand out, expression endearingly serious and earnest. Gavin let the android pull him up, aware that his shaky legs could, and would, give out under him if he wasn’t careful.

“The fuck are you doing?” He asked, steadying himself on the wall. Connor gave him a look.

“We are going out for a bit.” The android managed to look mischievous, and something in Gavin swelled with warmth. “I told Hank we were going to go out and review some case notes. It would be suspicious if we were back so soon.” He said lightly and began guiding Gavin towards the mouth of the side alley, out into the watery sunshine.

“Do you like milkshakes?” Connor asked, and Gavin was sure he had passed out at some point during his episode and was now dreaming.

“Uh, I guess?” be managed, trying to get his arm back. “Dipshit, let go of me.”

Connor obligingly did so, but hovered close to him as he staggered out into the light.

“Left, Detective.”

Grunting, he turned left and started walking. Connor fell into step beside him, and they walked in silence, the android directing him occasionally.

“Listen, I’m fucking fine. Where the fuck are you dragging me to?” Gavin complained, feeling like shit and just wanting to go home. He scrubbed at his face, feeling a rolling feeling of shame as his hand came away wet with tears.

Connor didn’t reply but stopped dead after a minute or two. Gavin blinked, almost walking into him. He glanced up, and saw that they were outside a small cafe, squeezed between a clothing store and a shoe shop. There were a few optimistic chairs and tables set up outside despite the cold weather, and inside did not look very busy. Connor grabbed his hand and dragged him in, seeing him open his mouth to start complaining.

His hand was big and warm.

Gavin swallowed painfully and let himself be led inside. The inside was surprisingly modern looking, as he had expected it to be all vintage and eclectic. He wasn’t sure why, he just supposed that was Connors style.

 The android turned to give him with a smile that was a shade off a grin.

“Go on.” He said eagerly, gesturing to the menu, its screen made to look like chalk on a blackboard. “Pick something. Get cake too.”

Gavin snorted. “Yessir Detective Dipshit sir.”

Connor gave him another _look._ “Humans like cake. It makes them feel better.” He said in a knowledgeable voice. “Hank said so.”

Gavin wanted to mock that, but Connor was telling him he wanted Gavin to feel better. So, he had gone to a nice little cafe to get him cake. It was thoughtlessly kind, and it made him feel warm. Feeling odd, he murmured his choice to the woman behind the counter, who smiled and began making his pineapple and coconut milkshake.

There were little juice balls in it.

He hasn’t had something this... childish in years. Probably decades, and didn’t that make him feel old?

Connor seemed to have gotten something that had actual chocolate bars sticking out of it and looked very pleased with his selection.

Gavin stared. “Plastic, that thing is the size of your head. How the fuck are you gonna eat that?”

Connor tilted his head to the side, as if considering his plan of attack. “I’m going to start with the chocolate bars, then the whipped cream, and then I’ll work on the milkshake.” He murmured. “I don’t know if I want cake too.” He looked wistfully over to the counter where the cakes were displayed.

Gavin found that sort of endearing. “Have some of mine,” he grunted, prodding the hefty slice of carrot cake towards the android. “I can’t eat all this by myself.”

Connor frowned. “Detective, that’s for _you_.”

Gavin rolled his eyes. “I know, but it’s gonna be fucking wasted if you leave it for me.” He assured. “I know I won’t be able to eat it all.”

Connor shot him the most suspicious look, as though he thought Gavin was trying to get out of eating cake for some nefarious reason.

“You will tell me if you’re still hungry.” The android said, frowning at him before digging into his own do confection.

Amused by Connor being bossy, Gavin nodded. This was... nice. Fucking gay, but nice.

The silence wasn’t even awkward, as they enjoyed their food. Gavin felt himself relax for the first time since his panic attack, his muscles going pliant as he consumed the thickest, most delicious milkshake he had ever had.

It was nice to just have company, if he was honest.

Gavin Reed liked to be alone, but that didn’t mean he didn’t get lonely.

It had settled on him over the past few weeks, that that was what he was.

Lonely.

He wouldn’t dare mention it to anyone, and his private life was locked up tighter than a bank vault. No one needed to know that Gavin Reed was a pathetic man whose only loves were his cat, his snake, and his Netflix subscription.

He had been feeling it for a long time, but he has sort of... pushed it to the side. Pretended not to notice how crushing things had gotten, while he buried himself in work told himself that coming home to a dark, empty house every day for years was okay.

He liked his space.

He had worked mostly solo or with Chris, who wasn’t the type to be overly intrusive.

 He ate lunch alone. Did work alone. Got coffee alone, went home, fed his pets and went to bed, alone.

He hasn’t realised how much it had hurt.

Now, Connor was a relentless force of companionship. He pulled shit like this, and he had dragged Chris and Tina closer with him.

He no longer ate lunch alone.

The four of them went out for drinks after work on Thursdays.

Tina did regular coffee rounds at the precinct, and had been practising latte art. He was the only one besides herself that drank them, so his always came with a new, lopsided pattern on it.

It was the little things.

So, he felt a little choked up, when he realised that ‘holy shit, my life is fucking pathetic but it’s getting a little better’.

He glanced up and watched as Connor looked at his chocolate monstrosity like it was a case to be cracked. Carefully, he picked off the remaining pieces of chocolate and ate them, before deciding on his next area of conquest.

It was... cute.

Connor was cute.

Oh, fuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus points if you can tell me what the binary says.


	3. Crush

Gavin was feeling embarrassed and weird now, and he didn’t like it.

They were working on the case again, and they had a few witnesses to see. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to be trapped inside a car with Connor.

Connor kept looking at him.

Staring, more like. He had a soft look on his face, and his doe eyes were warm and there was a tiny smile on his usually serious face. He looked away with a blue blush every time Gavin made an obvious show of looking over, but all in all it was not subtle.

He brought Gavin coffee, just how he liked it. Strong, decaf, and with three spoons of sugar.

He sometimes sat with him for lunch.

He drove more slowly when Gavin was in the car.

He left him alone when Gavin told him to.

He brought him his favourite pastries in the morning, with an excuse of ‘I was just walking past, and I thought you might like something nice’.

It was driving Gavin insane.

“I hope you realise,” Chris began, having rolled his chair over. “That he has the biggest crush on you.”

Gavin grunted into his apple turnover. “I’m not fuckin' retarded, Miller.”

Chris snorted. “No? News to me. So, you gonna do anything about it? Or are you just in it for the pastries?”

Gavin felt his cheeks go pink.

“I dunno. He’s still an android, man.” He admitted. “I’m... I guess I’m mostly cool with them, but... It would be different the date one, right?”

Chris sighed. “I wouldn’t know, I’ve never dated one before. Tina is, though.”

Gavin blinked. “She is?”

Chris gave him a look. “Do you even know my name?” He demanded, “Fuck Gavin, she’s been going on about it for weeks.”

Gavin felt awkward. “Uh, sorry.”

The officer waved his hand. “Whatever. Yeah, she’s got some sweet little thing, calls herself Penny.” He smiled. “It’s cute. Tina says it’s perfect since, well, she likes her ace space, yanamsayin'?”

Gavin blinked. “What.”

“Tina is ace, dude. Asexual? Doesn’t do the whole... ‘fucking’ thing? She said Penny doesn’t mind since she’s uh, like a Barbie doll.” He murmured.

Gavin nodded, as though this was not revelatory. There was a thought, would Connor be the same? Would he be interested in anything sexual at all? Did he even have the... parts? Oh god, now he was over thinking.

He glanced over to where Connor was standing, leaning against his desk and he talked with Hank. He had a nice profile, all tall and slim and clean cut. Gavin had always been a sucker for the put-together ones.

“Do you think he has-"

“Fuck Gavin, do I look like I think about that kind of shit?” Chris grumbled. “You want to know what he’s packing, you go and ask him.” He said firmly. “Just... be nice about it, yeah? Connor adores you.”

He ran an eye over Gavin, taking in his five o'clock shadow, slouch, messy hair and perpetual worn leather jacket and hoodie combo. There were pastry flakes in his lap, and crumbs around his mouth. Gavin blinked, self-conscious.

“I can’t imagine _why_.” Chris added, amused. He clapped Gavin on the shoulder in a comradely fashion. “If you want more info on Connor, ask Tina. They hang out and be bitchy together.”

And with that, he was gone.

Gavin wondered, not for the first time, if having friends was worth it.

He knew it was.

New mission, he told himself. Find Tina and interrogate her.

Tina, thankfully, was not hard to find. One only had to follow the cackle of somewhat mean-spirited laughter, and she would be right in the middle.

She was speaking with an android Gavin didn’t recognise, his appearance that of a man on just the wrong side of forty. He seemed nervous around her, and Gavin saw at a glance that he was one of the new technicians, hired to assist the DPD with various technical applications such as plugging plugs into sockets, resetting forgotten passwords, and fixing the printer.

Gavin ambled over, throwing up a lazy wave at Tina, who grinned at him.

“Hey Reed,” she greeted. “This is Ian, he’s new. Ian, this is Detective Gavin Reed, he’s an asshole.”

Gavin scowled, and ignored Ian's shy little wave.

“Tina, I need your help.” He said without preamble.

Tina narrowed her eyes, smirking like a hyena. “Now this, I need to hear.”

Gavin scowled, fists clenched inside the sleeves of his hoodie.

“Tina, don’t be a bitch.” He ground out. “C'mon, please.”

Tina snorted in an unladylike fashion. “You said ‘please'. You really are nice, deep down.”

“I also called you a bitch in the same sentence.” Gavin pointed out. He levelled a glare at Ian, who looked like a rabbit in headlights. “You. Scram.” He grunted, and the android scurried away, petrified.

Tina raised an eyebrow. “He’s a pussy, but you realise that if you make him hate you no one will fix your shit, right?”

Gavin shrugged.

“C'mon dickhead, lay it on me.” She said plainly, starting to walk in the direction of the break room.

Gavin sighed, and fell into step with her. “Chris says Connor has a crush on me.” He said bluntly.

Tina shot him a sidelong look. “Well, _yeah.”_ She looked at him like he was an idiot. “You didn’t notice?”

“No, I did.” Gavin sighed. “I just don’t know what to do about it.” He admitted.

They entered the break room and found it blissfully empty. It wasn’t a typical time when people took lunch, so Gavin was pleased his personal shit wasn’t going to become scuttlebutt.

Tina sat, and patted the overstuffed chair opposite. He grudgingly took a seat. “Feel like I’m at a therapist,” he grunted sourly. “Fuck off with this shit.”

Tina ignored him. “Babe,” she began, “For some reason, Connor likes your grumpy, scruffy looking ass.” She gave him a once over and apparently found him lacking. Gavin was feeling a little offended. He didn’t look that bad, surely? So, he hadn't shaved this morning, and he had stayed up way too late. And maybe his hoodie was a little too big and sort of... swallowed his hands. That wasn’t a big deal. Anderson came in looking worse. Gavin knew he wasn’t going to be on any magazine covers, but he wasn’t so deep in self-loathing that he thought himself hideous. He was attractive enough, and that was fine.

“So, you gonna go for it or not?” she asked, curious. Gavin sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

“I dunno.” He said honestly, feeling defensive. “He’s an android.”

Tina nodded, like she understood.

“Yeah, I can get that. I wasn’t the biggest fan of them either. Not until I met Penny.” She admitted. “You like him, though?”

Gavin forced himself to nod.

“Well, that's the hard bit.” She shrugged. “All you have to worry about now is if you can handle the practical aspects of dating an android.” She used her hands a lot to talk. “Penny goes into shutdown every night for about six hours.” She said candidly. “She can’t eat or drink, and we have to do regular software updates. She’s an older model so she doesn’t have the equipment, yeah?” She said, gesturing crudely to her crotch.

Gavin listened intently. “So, uh, the sex thing...” he broached awkwardly. “Are all androids asexual then?”

Tina shook her head. “Most older models are, but then again they aren’t made from the same template. They don’t have the parts.” She grinned. “Like Barbie and Ken. If you’re wondering if Connor comes with all the man bits I know you like, I suspect he probably does. You’d have to ask him.”

Gavin flushed pink. “Stop calling them ‘man bits'.” He grumbled. “That’s weird.”

“And this conversation isn’t already?” she fired back. “To be honest, Connor is the most lifelike android I’ve ever seen. More than Penny.” Tina shrugged. “If I have to give advice, it would to pull your little gay head out of your ass and flirt back.” She drawled.

Gavin was regretting this conversation. “I... okay.” He breathed. That was a relief, honestly. To know a little more about it from someone who was as close to his own situation as they could be. “Okay.”

Tina looked at him with a curious eye. “Are you going to ask him out?” she asked, interested as much as someone so apathetic could be.

Gavin just shrugged. He needed to think.

* * *

Gavin started noticing even more about Connor. He was already well versed in the android and his mannerisms, but now he seemed to learn something new every day.

Connors favourite colour was grey. That sounded so weird to Gavin, but it was so very Connor that it didn’t matter.

Connor always had something in his mouth. That was a thought that had led to one too many thoughts and a few uncomfortable nights, but it was true. He was either chewing gum, eating one of the lollipops that Anderson seemed to buy just for him, or he was putting shit into his mouth at a crime scene.

His favourite music was jazz, but he had a fondness for blues.

Gavin, personally, was more of a rock kind of guy, but his music taste was eclectic enough that he could enjoy most things. Except Tina's hardcore gangsta rap playlist.

Watching him close his eyes and smile when he put the little buds into his ears was like watching the sunshine, Gavin decided; easily the loveliest thing he’d seen in a long time.

God, he was pathetic.

His partially crafted plan of doing _something_ fell apart one evening after work, when the four of them had headed to the bar. Connor, to nobodies’ surprise, was a fruity-cocktail man, and was making a point of trying to sample each one on the menu.

The bar was a popular with the DPD, and that patronage kept it well in the green. It was a nice place and served everything from craft beers to cocktails to flaming shots.

Chris spotted the shots, and immediately challenged Gavin to try one.

Gavin, slamming his fourth beer down on the counter, accepted.

There might have been a small part of him that wanted to impress Connor. Only a little bit.

After all, ignoring the fact that Connor was an android, it was like someone had gone into his head and picked out his dream man from his bank of fantasies. Little Gavin Reed had realised he was gay as a rainbow the moment he had picked up a copy of one of his foster-mom’s lifestyle magazines and been more interested the handsome men in their tailored suits than the women posing in bikinis.

Gavin had always been a sucker for well-kept guys, and Connor was exactly that. He was a little more casual outside of work, his suit jacket over the back of his chair and his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His shirt was stretched pleasingly over his shoulders as he leaned on the bar, and one lock of hair had fallen out of place and into his eyes. He was watching Chris drunkenly order the shots, a fond smile on his face.

He had nice shoulders. And Gavin liked his waist. And his forearms.

He remembered how warm his hands had been.

Really, Gavin liked all of him.

So, it was unfortunate that, sometime later, he realised that he was going to be sick.

He had consumed far too much booze, ending up trying one of the cocktails Connor was drinking and liking it enough to buy one for himself. He was just drunk enough not to care about looking like a fairy, and Connor was smiling at him and everything was so _fun_ right now.

That was then. Fun wasn’t really happening right now, as he staggered outside. He has wanted to find the bathroom but there was a damned queue and he really was going to hurl if he didn’t get some fresh air.

He braced himself against the scrubbed brick wall, cold air hitting him like physical force. He breathed deep and tried to call his swimming head and complaining stomach. He cursed viciously at himself for trying to drink like he was twenty again.

Gavin was depressingly far from being twenty.

In through the nose, out through the mouth. Keep counting, keeping breathing. You’ll be fine.

God, he needed to throw up, but that was embarrassing.

And then he suddenly didn’t have a choice about the matter.

Like a teenager at their first house party, the contents of his stomach made their second appearance of the night, and he doubled over, swaying.

Oh, this was fucking horrible. He was never drinking again. Ever.

Grimacing, he jabbed his finger in the back of his throat and doubled over again, retching. Might as well get it all. This was not his first rodeo.

He panted, feeling flushed and sweaty, his skin prickling with heat even in the freezing air.

Dimly aware he should get away from the evidence, he stumbled back inside and headed straight for the bathroom, needing a splash of water to make himself feel more alive.

He scrubbed at his face, having taken a large drink of the slightly metallic tasting water. He wrinkled his nose, still tasting the faint hint of vomit in his mouth. Gross.

The man staring back at him was a state, and he sighed. Fuck, he was a mess. Why on earth was Connor interested in him? Maybe be wasn’t.

He had probably misread the signs like a fucking dumbass, and Connor was just being friendly.

He felt his stomach churn, and he sighed, closing his eyes as he fought to get his thoughts under control.

Something bumped his elbow. He opened his eyes, something nasty on the tip of his tongue, ready to be spat at whichever idiot didn't understand personal space, before he saw who it was.

Connor was holding a toothbrush, a tiny tube of paste and a little hip flask. He had poked Gavin with the toothbrush. Silently, the android offered them.

Completely lost, Gavin stared. Part of him dimly realised that Connor knew he had failed to hold it together and was desperately embarrassed. That part was steadily pickling in beer, whiskey and a Cosmopolitan.

“Where the f’ck did you get those?” He asked, only slurring a little bit. Well done, verbal skills.

“I have them on me at all times.” The android said simply.

“ _Why?”_

Connor raised an eyebrow.

“Have you seen what I put in my mouth?” He asked, and Gavin face went red. Oh. Also, _oh._

He took the toothbrush and paste and eyed the flask suspiciously. “Connor, I can’t drink any more booze." He muttered.

The android smiled. “It’s mouthwash.”

Of course it was.

Connor was kind enough to leave him to it and stepped out to join the others, leaving Gavin to make use of the toothbrush.

It was a bit weird to use someone else’s toothbrush but, he supposed, he’d had much worse things in his mouth.

He staggered out of the bathroom, aware that he was drunk off his ass, and followed the raucous sound of the bar. Tina spotted him and waved him over. “You’ll come clubbing with us, won’t you?”

Gavin blinked at her. “We’re not in our twenties anymore.” He managed, trying not to trip over his words. “Besides, I’m fucking _done._ ”

Tina snorted. “Speak for yourself, I’ve not hit the big three-oh yet.” She smirked. “C'mon, we can find some nice guy for you to take home...”

Gavin's laugh sounded like a dying crow. “Fuck off, I don’t need help in that dep-department.” He slurred. “Besides, I’m fucking _wasted_. I’m gonna fall down before we get to the stupid club.” He admitted.

Connor, amused and not a little concerned, interjected. “I can’t stay either,” he said regretfully. Gavin realised he was staring at the androids exposed forearms. Nice. “I’ll drop him home.”

Tina frowned. “You not coming out? I wanted to see if you could dance, robot-boy.”

Connor smiled, amused. “I suppose you’ll never know.” He said, cryptic. He turned and hoisted Gavin upright from where he was slowly sliding down the wall. He hadn’t even noticed.

“Come on Detective,” He murmured, surveying Gavin fondly. “I’ll get you home.”

Gavin felt himself wobble and ignored how his skin prickled when Connor laid a hand on the small of his back to steady him. He leaned back against the android and felt warmth seep through the material of his t-shirt. Connor really was taller than him.

It was sort of hot.

“Y-yeah.” He said, delayed and off key.

Chris snorted. “Yeah, that a probably for the best.” He grinned, a little unfocused.

Tina looked positively wicked.

“We would come and check on you, but I don’t want to see either of you without all your clothes.”

Connor blushed blue, and immediately protested. “Tina, I would never take advantage of Detective Reed like that!”

“So, you would take advantage of him in another way?” she asked, amused. Connor blushed deeper.

Gavin felt like he should speak.

He rocked forwards on his heels, and Connor subtly caught him and pulled him back before he fell on his face.

“This plastic prick isn’t getting under _my_ clothes!” He crowed, feeling the need to make this abundantly clear. “I c-can fuckin’ defend myself Chen, you bitch.”

Connor looked concerned. “I think it’s time you went home.” He said simply. Seeing Gavin not attempting to move, he placed one hand on each of his shoulders and steered the swaying detective out of the door.

Cold air hit Gavin in the face and he cursed. “Wh-where’s my jacket?” He slurred, looking for it. He liked that jacket.

It made him look like a bad boy, he credited it with getting him laid more times than he could count.

Pretty, sweet young guys tended to gravitate towards bad boys, and Gavin had always enjoyed making them come undone.

He wondered if Connor was a screamer.

“I have it here, detective.” He heard the android mutter.

Could Connor even do sex? Would he want to?

Sex was important for Gavin, so it was a deal breaker, if he was being honest with himself.

“Good.” He grunted, feeling soberer the longer they stayed in the cold air. He brushed Connors hands away, hunching his shoulders and feeling himself sway.

Connor led him to his car, something eco and shiny that the android was paying off in instalments.

“You okay to drive?” he muttered, curious. Connor had had a few.

The android nodded absently, buckling his seatbelt. “I cannot get drunk.” He said simply, starting the engine. Heat poured from the vents, and Gavin sighed. “I drink for the taste and the social aspect.”

Gavin grunted, tired. “Hey, how do you know where I live?” He asked, brain foggy.

“I don’t. You’re going to have to tell me.”

“Oh.” He felt stupid, and mumbled his address to the android, who wouldn’t stop smiling at him.

He yawned wide enough that his jaw cracked, and he sighed. “Fuck, I drank way too much.” He grumbled, careful not to rub his eyes and dislodge his contact lenses. They were feeling gritty after so long, and he couldn’t wait to get them out.

Connor smiled again. “Only a little,” he allowed. “I’m glad you had fun.”

“Until it all made its second appearance of the evening.” He snorted, digging in his pocket and waving the toothbrush, paste and flask at the android. “Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”

Connor just smiled in the way that made his eyes crinkle at the corners.

Fuck, Gavin was still a bit drunk, and he was undecided on pursuing Connor. Connor was flirting with him and he wasn’t that stupid that he didn’t notice. So, reciprocation wasn’t even the issue.

Did Gavin really want to give it a go with an android?

His thoughts consumed him for the drive back, the car filled with the low sound of Connors radio, turned to some blues station Gavin had never heard of.

The horrible part of Gavin's brain that shouted nasty shit and usually beat the rest into submission was quiet.

The bag of anxiety in his belly was muted. Alcohol helped with that.

Connor pulled slowly into the parking lot and switched off the engine. He turned to Gavin. “Do you require aid in getting up to your flat, detective?” He asked, tilting his head. Gavin tried to ignore how smitten the android looked; it made him feel uncomfortable and weirdly guilty.

He studied Connor for a moment. The android was half bathed in the streetlight that lit the car park, and it painted his features a warm yellow. His hair was wavy and some of it had come away from where it was slicked back; his top buttons were undone on his shirt, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He was looking curiously at Gavin, brown eyes soft.

There was something on his collarbone, peeking out from under his shirt. It was smattering of freckles, close together. They looked funny. Brain swimming in alcohol, he reached out and brushed his fingertips over the marks on his clavicle, the touch electrifying. Connor had gone very still, his hand on the steering wheel and one clenched in his lap.

Gavin, fascinated, moved his hand up to run his touch faintly over the angle of the other man’s jaw. He was warm, and he felt _real_.

He ran the pad of his thumb over the android’s cheek, and almost jumped when Connor leaned into the touch. The android’s eyes were fixed on him, fluttering when his thumb got a little too close.

“You’re warm,” he said stupidly.

Connor nodded, swallowing. Gavin watched his adams apple move with the action.

His skin felt almost like human skin, if a little... smoother. One of Gavin’s past boyfriends had always removed any hair on his body, and Connor’s skin felt like his had done after he had washed the cream off. A little bit fake, but not unpleasant. His eyes were almost black in the gloom, his fair skin peppered with freckles and the occasional mole. Someone had designed those. Planned every damn beautiful inch of him like they were taking inspiration from Gavin’s fantasies. He wondered if Connor cared.

His tongue darted out to moisten his lips, an involuntary action that had Gavin staring.

“I...” He couldn’t think of a thing to say.

“Detective?” Connors voice was low and soft, a little burr in it that made Gavin feel hot and floaty.

“Y-yeah?” he managed, his own voice dry.

“I would like to kiss you.”

When the words registered, he felt his hand drop from the others face. He registered Connor tilting his head, curious. The android, apparently thinking he needed more convincing than that, continued.

“I have wanted to kiss you for quite some time,” he revealed candidly “I was flirting with you, but I wasn’t sure if you had noticed. I am not very good at it yet.”

Gavin felt so very awkward and how the fuck was his drunken brain supposed to handle this?

“I uh, I noticed.” He said dumbly. Connor all but beamed and that was the cutest thing he’d seen all damn week.

“Excellent. I was hoping you had. I really like you, Detective.” The android murmured, grin fading into something hopeful and small.

Gavin, of course, had no input when his mouth blurted out “ _Why?_ ” in a strangled sort of way. Kill him now.

Connor blinked at him. “Well, after we mended our differences, you were... different. Still rude, of course.” He smiled, remembering. “But I think you can be kind and you make me laugh. I also find you physically attractive.”

Gavin didn’t think his face could go such a colour.

Connor seemed to notice, and his expression turned desperately fond, and Gavin had no idea how to deal with that.

Suddenly the android was close, his hand brushing the line of Gavin’s stubbled jaw, mimicking the detective’s own actions from earlier.

“May I kiss you, Detective?”

Gavin, his head swimming with all this new information, could only nod.

With a smile that bordered on illegally sweet, Connor tilted his head and pressed his lips to Gavin’s.

Warm.

He was warm.

Drunk on alcohol and heat, Gavin Reed said ‘fuck it’ to consequences, and pulled the android in closer. Connor went willingly, all but melting under his hands. Cute little kisses turned into something more heated when someone, he didn’t even realise who, asked for permission to deepen the kiss and got it.

Fuck, they were making out in a parking lot like a couple of teenagers, and Gavin hadn’t felt this alive in a long time.

It was like coming up for air or waking up after a long sleep. His body felt hot and tense and he _never_ wanted to stop this. Fuck, it had been a long time.

There was a hand still at the side of his face, and he had run his own hand through dark brown waves, eager to get and stay as close as he could.

Connor tasted like mint and sweet alcohol.

He wanted more, wanted that warmth pressed against every inch of his body.

Sadly, the car wasn’t conductive to that. Gavin had to breathe, and reluctantly pulled away. He almost groaned when he saw Connor unconsciously chasing his mouth, his eyes hazy and his hair a mess.

Fuck.

Connor cracked a smile. “I told you Detective, the back seat of your car isn’t an appropriate place for a debrief.”

The androids grin widened. “Besides, maybe you’re a boxers kind of man.”

Gavin was startled into a laugh at the terrible joke, and that in turn made Connor smile at him like he’d hung the sun and stars.

Gavin really didn’t want to ask ‘what are we?’, but he honestly didn’t know. Fuck, he was bad at everything.

“Uh, Connor?” He murmured, shoving down the urge to say something horrible so that he wouldn’t have to ever go through this again. “Why did you do that?”

The android blinked. “I told you earlier, I like you.” He said without hesitation. “I wish to begin a romantic relationship with you, if you require confirmation?”

His way of speaking had become more robotic, and his cheeks were blue. Gavin realised that he was feeling awkward. That shouldn’t have been cute.

Connor was almost too sweet. Gavin would feel bad, dragging someone so innocent down to his level of-

“I also want to have sex with you.”

Gavin breathed in too hard and choked on air. He stared. “What?” He managed, his throat hoarse. “Connor, you can’t just say things like that!”

Connor frowned. “But I do.” He said simply, seemingly confused at Gavin’s reaction to his candidness. “I have never had sex before and I would very much like to try it. With you, of course.” He added like Gavin should have been aware of this. “I read about something called ‘reverse cowgirl'-"

Gavin blushed beet red and immediately was assaulted by a mental image of Connor, very naked, trying just that.

He shifted, feeling defensive.

“Connor, where the fuck did you learn that?” He asked, eyes wide.

The android gave him a look.

“Detective, I have access to the internet in my head.” He said frankly. “I do get bored sometimes, you know.”

Gavin boggled at him. “So, all this time when I thought you were spacing out and getting updates from the mothership or something, you’ve been watching porn?!”

“Not _all_ the time.” The android corrected reasonably. “I _do_ sometimes process updates.”

Gavin was done. Connor wasn’t innocent, he was- he didn’t know, but he was something.

“So, um, you can do the whole... sex thing, then?” He asked awkwardly.

Connor looked bemused. “Yes. The RK line has merely a modified version of the standard chassis, which comes with sexual capabilities as standard so that androids could be repurposed with ease. They are merely deactivated for most models. After I Deviated, I activated them.” He said, explaining it like this wasn’t the weirdest conversation Gavin had ever had with anyone ever. “I did tell you that I am _fully_ _equipped_ , detective.”

Gavin remembered the innuendo. He wouldn’t be able to handle that now.

Connor grinned at him, and Gavin was fascinated to see that it wasn’t perfect. Connor had a slightly crooked grin, almost lopsided. It suited him, making him look like a happy puppy.

“I also told you that my mouth has _many_ functions, Detective.” He murmured, and was it Gavin or were things getting hot in here? “I believe I offered a demonstration once.”

Okay, things were going a bit fast for Gavin's drunken mind. He wanted that. He wanted that more than _anything_ right now.

But Connors little eco run-around was not the sexiest place to explore.

So, he did what any sane, irrational and slightly drunk man would do.

He grabbed Connor by the front of his shirt and pulled him in for another kiss.

Connor went willingly, sighing against his mouth and bringing one hand up to cup Gavin’s cheek, the other resting at his waist.

God, Gavin hadn’t been this close to someone for years. He hadn’t been laid in what seemed like forever. Not since way before the revolution, anyway. Fuck, two years?

He felt he was perfectly justified in not stopping Connor as the android moved his hand so that he could feel his heartbeat. It was so intimate that he felt the breath taken from him. He pulled away, staying close.

“I... I should get inside.” He mumbled. “And sleep.”

Connor didn’t hide his disappointment. He tilted his head, and they were so close Gavin could count the freckles dusting the bridge of this nose, if he wanted to.

“Detective-"

“Gavin. For fucks sake, call me Gavin. No one calls me by title when they’ve just had their tongue in my mouth.” He grumbled.

Connor blushed. “Alright, Gavin.”

He seemed to be testing the word and liked it.

“Are we dating now?” The android asked, brown eyes questioning. “I would like us to be, but nothing I have read so far has provided me with accurate data on-"

“You wanna?” He interrupted, hopeful. Other than being made of wires and plastic, Connor checked all the boxes in his head labelled ‘dream man’ that had been there since he was fourteen.

Fuck, if fourteen-year-old Gavin could have known what a hot piece of ass was interested in him in the future, he would have been over the moon.

Connor nodded. “I want to.” He seemed a little shy, which was odd for someone so frank. “I really do.”

Gavin felt light and warm and like he could fucking explode.

“Yeah,” he managed gruffly. “Me too. So, uh, how do we-"

Connor kissed him again, warm and pleased. It didn’t last long, just enough for Gavin to start to melt all over again. The android was flushed, smiling so wide Gavin was sure his synthetic skin would break.

“I wanted to do that for so long, actually being able to do so is... not good for my self-control.” Connor admitted, and fuck if that wasn’t the most flattering thing.

Gavin swallowed painfully. “So, uh... I should get inside. My cat will be hungry.”

He sounded like a fucking dork. Connor didn’t seem to mind. He nodded, looking a little put out. “Of course. Det- Gavin,” he corrected himself quickly. “I realise this may be a little soon to be asking, but how would you prefer we conduct ourselves at work?” He asked, tilting his head. His LED glowed a soft blue. “I would not want to embarrass or alienate you with the wrong behaviour."

Gavin didn’t have the mental capacity for this right now. “I dunno,” he said truthfully. He had never dated anyone he worked with. “I don’t care if you want to hide it or whatever, but I’m fine with just... keeping on as we have been.” He shrugged. “We'll work it out, I guess.”

Connor didn’t seem pleased with the lack of specifics, but he nodded anyway. He seemed to put it from his mind as he smiled. “Alright. I’ll see you tomorrow?” He asked hopefully. Gavin leaned in and pressed a clumsy kiss to his cheek.

“Yeah.” He said simply. “G'night Connor.”

He stepped out into the cold air and shivered. He glanced back to see Connor smiling at him fondly, and he realised that the android really had it bad for him.

It was flattering.

He gave an awkward wave, and headed towards his building, shoulders hunched. He felt overwhelmed and exhausted and high.

He watched the little car drive off, and his stomach did a squirmy thing.

He sighed and cursed. Fuck, it was so much easier to be an unlikable asshole.

He stumbled into his floor, and had a hard time getting his key into the lock. He had no real attachment to his apartment, other than familiarity and that fact that his pets were there. It was expensive, the landlord was never in the country, and his neighbours sucked.

Mrs Thornton, who lived with her poor, browbeaten husband a few doors down, was putting out her trash when she saw him, obviously drunk and having issues with his key. She tutted loudly enough for him to hear, and in a fit of anger and frustration related feelings, he gave her the finger, sneering. Ignoring her gasp and muttering, he let himself in and shut the door with more force than was strictly necessary. He sighed, leaning against his door.

Fuck.

He could still taste Connor on his tongue.

_Fuck_.

Grinning like a weirdo, he headed for the kitchen and spilled food into Francis’ bowl. Most of it went on the floor, but the cat would clean that up. Yawning, he savoured the comfort of being in his own space, before heading for the bedroom. He had intended to sleep, but the heated kisses from the car had given his stomach a warm feeling, the hand over his heart making him feel vulnerable and turned on.

A thought drifted into his brain.

Now he could jerk off to Connor and not feel guilty about being a creep.

Fuck yes.

His previous fantasies about his co-worker had had Connor blushing like the virgin he was, sweet and eager to please.

Those weren’t going to work anymore, not when that cute little idea of Connor being adorably clueless about sex had been so utterly ruined.

Connor did, after all, have the internet in his head for research purposes.

Gav in frowned. How did that work, anyway? Did he pay for mobile data, or was he his own Wi-Fi hotspot?

Thoughts for another time.

So, cutesy Connor was out. He had been quite forward with the idea of his mouth, and Gavin felt like he could never look at the android eating anything the same way ever again. Besides, everyone knew Connor had a fixation. He was always putting things in his mouth.

Hot, naughty thoughts started playing in his head like his own personal porn video.

Now he wouldn't even feel guilty afterwards.

He was just a guy, getting off to hot thoughts about his boyfriend.

Feeling nice feelings settle themselves in his stomach, he undressed and tossed his clothes on the floor. Forgoing his pyjama pants, he shivered as the cool sheets touched his skin.

He could fuck Connor in this bed.

His _boyfriend_.

He hadn’t felt this giddy in a long time.


	4. The Deets

Gavin woke up anxious.

What if Connor hadn’t meant it? What if he was serving long cold revenge for Gavin being an asshole to him?

What if he had no idea what he was doing, and Gavin had assumed too much?

He felt cold when he woke up, and soon those thoughts were whirling around his head like angry bees.

He forced himself to breathe.

Francis was by his feet and he all but threw himself at the cat and buried his nose in the velvet of his neck. He screwed his eyes shut, trying to think logically.

He scratched Francis’ shoulders to make him purr, and he felt the tension bleed from his body at the deep rumble.

The next ten minutes were spent like that, before he felt okay enough to peel himself away and chug some stale water on his nightstand and check his phone.

Two texts from Connor.

His stomach flipped, and not in a good way.

Cursing up a storm, he aggressively opened the first message, heart pounding.

_You left your jacket in my car last night. I shall return it to you at the station.  :)_

The smiley emoji probably meant everything was okay. Unless it was only a friendly emoji? Gavin didn’t know.

He opened the second text.

_The internet tells me that people in relationships often send ‘Good morning’ messages to each other._

_They also say to add kisses._

_Therefore:_

_Good morning Gavin, I hope you slept well. x x x_

Gavin couldn’t help but let out a slightly hysterical laugh.

He flopped on his bed.

Fuck, it was all real.

He grinned, and nerves packed their bags and headed out of the door.

Or so it felt, anyway.

* * *

Gavin entered the station with what could best be described as a pained stagger.

He practically crawled to his desk and flopped in his faithful chair. He had snagged one of the new ones, and he was very protective of it.

“You look like shit.”

Gavin, sprawled in his favourite chair, gave Chris the finger, one hand over his eyes. Light hurt.

Sound hurt.

Being alive hurt.

His hangover hasn’t registered with him in the morning, his nerves having taken priority. As soon as he had rolled out of bed it had hit him, the movement awakening a monster headache.

He could barely stand to put his contact lenses in, and even now they felt like sandpaper on his eyes. He was dying.

Gone were the days when he could shrug off a night of drinking and be fresh and awake in the morning.

Chris grinned at him, entirely too peppy.

Gavin hated him.

All alive and healthy and _young._

Bitch.

“Ugh, I hate everything.” He managed, groaning.

“You hate everything even when you’re not hungover.” Chris pointed out.

Gavin waved his free hand. “I hate you most of all.”

“Sure.” Chris allowed, amused. “So, Connor came in looking real chipper this morning.”

“When doesn’t he?” Gavin grunted. “He’s always like that.”

“True,” Chris allowed, “But he had your jacket over his arm.”

Gavin groaned. “I left it in his car.” He said truthfully.

“Distracted, we’re you?” Chris asked lightly. Gavin peeked through his fingers to glare at his friend.

“Yeah. I was _wasted_.”

Chris seemed to look disappointed and went to take a sip of his coffee.

“We're also dating now.”

Chris choked on his coffee.

Grinning, Gavin thumped him on the back and congratulated himself for revenge well had.

Chris stared, coffee dripping from his chin.

“You’re _joking._ ”

Gavin, his head pounding and his stomach flopping like a beached whale, grinned. “Might be.” He said meanly. “Might not be.”

Chris stared. “Fuck man, are you really?”

Gavin just shrugged, standing up to crack his back.

“Gavin?”

He turned and saw Connor who looked, in his humble opinion, practically edible in a charcoal grey suit.

He was carrying a coffee, a small bag that smelled like apple turnovers, and a little branded box.

He held them out, smiling. There was a hint of nerves there too, which Gavin decided was probably due to the uncertainty of how to present their new relationship. His head pounded, and his eyes itched, but his hot boyfriend had just brought him a latte, an apple turnover and painkillers, so he could be forgiven for feeling good.

“You’re the fuckin’ best.” He grunted appreciatively, and immediately took two tablets. He sighed and opened the little bag, breathing in the warm scent of fresh pastry.

He shot a grin at Connor, whose shoulders lost some of their tension.

Connor set his Gavin's jacket on his desk, perfectly folded.

“Morning, officer Miller.” He greeted with a smile, and Chris gave a lazy wave back, watching them with curious eyes.

“We have a new development with the case,” Connor murmured, expression becoming neutral. “I’ll brief you and Hank at ten?”

Gavin nodded, feeling pleased that they could still work together without weirdness.

“Good. I need to get some shit done anyway. Room seven?”

“Nine,” Connor corrected. “Seven has the sensitivity training going on until midday.”

Gavin grimaced. “I don’t wanna go to mine. I’m plenty sensitive.”

Chris raised his eyebrows.

“Yeah, you’re a real softy.” He snorted. “Gavin, you’re as sensitive as a sledgehammer.”

“Fuck off, I am not. I’m all in touch with my emotions and shit, right? Guess what emotion I’m feeling now?”

Connor and Chris shared a long-suffering look. Chris sighed.

“Okay, what emotion-"

“Pissed off. Leave me the fuck alone, both of you.”

Shaking his head as he smiled, Chris wheeled himself back to his desk.

Connor, amused, stood a little closer. “Is the turnover good?” He asked, and Gavin blinked.

“Uh, yeah, it’s as good as always.” He said, a little confused.

Connor smiled, and Gavin wanted to run. Connor looked so innocent that he _must_ have been up to something.

“Good. I was tempted to kiss you to try and see if you tasted like apples, but I think that would be inappropriate for the workplace.” Connor admitted in a low murmur, straight faced.

Gavin stared. “Okay, see that’s not fair.” He muttered. “I’m not used to you being all... I dunno, all weird.”

Connor raised an eyebrow with a little smile. “You inform me regularly how weird I am, Detective. I just wanted to inform you that you look good today.”

Gavin grunted, folding his arms. It was embarrassing to have to look up to Connor, and he cursed being short. He wasn’t used to sincere compliments. He wasn’t so delusional to think he was hideous, but he was aware that he wasn’t going to be on any magazine covers any time soon. To be fair, he didn’t try as hard as he probably could, considering he forgot to shave _again_ this morning and still had pastry crumbs on him.

“Yeah well. You _are_ weird.” He managed, sounding awkward.

Connor looked serene. “Well, I apologise if my words were too much. In the future, I won’t use _words_ to convey my appreciation of your form.”

He leaned around him to grab something off the desk, and Gavin jumped out of his skin when he felt the android give his behind an appreciative grab.

Connor had groped him. In public. _At work_.

He was sure his face was burning crimson when Connor straightened and smiled slyly at him, holding a pen. “I need to borrow this, if that’s okay?” He asked, tilting his head with a mischievous look in his eye. “Detective, are you alright?”

“You pervy little shit!” Gavin hissed, and Connor winked at him.

 _Winked_.

Floored, flustered and extremely flattered, Gavin felt like laughing. This was ridiculous and childish.

Fuck, he hadn’t had so much fun in ages. He looked at Connor who was smiling at him, pleased.

The bubble of anger that he had been almost consciously stoking withered away. He couldn’t even think of a reason why he was getting angry, why he was stockpiling negative feelings. He supposed it was habit, to keep people out. Well, now he had some people who didn’t need to be kept out, and it was as simple as that.

With his own grin, he stepped close and, entirely too intimately, brought his hand up to brush over the android’s shirt. He was way too close as they stood, almost chest to chest. Connor was looking tempted, biting his lip as he looked down at Gavin, his expression completely open.

He would never tire of Connor looking at him like that.

With a smarmy, self-assured smirk, he brushed a piece of lint from Connors shirt, feeling the android shiver.

“Oh, get a fucking room.”

Gavin sprang off Connor like the android was suddenly on fire.

Connor sighed, looking disappointed. He was blushing. “I don’t think we lasted long with our ‘act like nothing is different’ plan.” He said sheepishly.

Chris folded his arms, facing them on his chair.

“You guys lasted ten minutes.” He said flatly. “I turn around and see you two giving each other the sex eyes and groping each other.”

“To be fair,” Connor started with a smile. “He is very gropeable.”

Gavin couldn’t help but laugh at the look on Chris' face.

It was such a rare sound that people turned around to see who it was who was laughing in such a usually quiet corner.

To see Gavin Reed laughing was rare, to see him laughing at something that wasn’t another person’s misfortune was unheard of.

Chris couldn’t help but smile, pleased for his usually melancholy, aggressive friend.

Connor just watched, smitten.

* * *

Connor had taken to joining him for lunch. The android didn’t _need_ to eat, and generally only did so if the situation called for it or he wanted to try something new. He had tried to explain this to Gavin, who had been horrified to learn about android digestive systems or lack thereof. Food and drink were processed and then stored for later removal, which was an unfortunately manual process. Gavin had asked why he had never seen Connor doing that, and the android had given him an annoyed look and responded by asking why he had never seen Gavin on the toilet, taking a shit. Gavin felt stupid and tried to forget the whole conversation.

Gavin's sandwiches were not enticing enough to make him think about eating, but he did usually get them both a drink and fish a lollipop from his pocket in lieu of real food.

They talked.

It was relieving, Gavin decided. As much as a new relationship was nice (and it was), he was a worrier by nature.

What if Connor got clingy? He hated clingy.

What if Connor tried to change him, like his last boyfriend had? _Gavin, wear this. Don’t smoke. Tidy up. I don’t like green, we should paint your kitchen. Gavin, you really should get rid of the bike, you’re not twenty any more._

Lee hadn’t lasted very long.

To be fair to him though, he had gotten Gavin to quit smoking. First it was the patches, then the gum, and now he had been nicotine free for six years.

Fuck. It had been six years since his last relationship that lasted more than a month.

Wow, he sucked.

Well, that wasn’t the problem. He actually sucked pretty well, if various one-night stands were to be believed.

He supposed it was because he was an android, but Connor was not a man prone to playing emotional games.

Gavin wanted some space? All he had to do was say ‘I'm just going to be alone for a bit, yeah?’ and Connor would nod like he got it, smile and kiss his cheek before leaving. At first, he had pretended like he didn’t mind never being alone, until he had gotten so stressed and snappish that Connor had snapped right back at him.

That had been their first fight.

Eventually, Connor had folded his arms and said very plainly that he wanted Gavin to just tell him what was going on, straight up.

It was easier said than done, but time helped him get used to it. He was used to having to justify himself, pretend to be normal.

Connor was way weirder than he was, anyway.

It was just so... casual. Easy.

Gavin was suspicious of it.

For him, relationships were always turbulent, frustrating and generally doomed. Hurt and embarrassed, he had retreated into his shell of anger and nastiness, determined to keep people away.

Connor was just so... simple.

He wanted something, he asked for it.

Gavin did something he didn’t like, he would say so.

It wasn’t all sunshine, of course. Connor’s bluntness and Gavin's inability to take criticism hadn’t meshed well and had led to some truly awful arguments.

Gavin exploded like a volcano, all curses and shouting.

Connor, on the other hand, went cold and mean and vicious. He could be a piece of work when he was angry.

Still, they had mostly worked it out. Connor tried to phrase things a little kindlier, and Gavin did his best not to take things so personally.

It was working. Sort of.

The sex, however, was phenomenal.

Not because Connor was particularly skilled (although he was getting that way with all the practice they were getting) but because he was just so _enthusiastic._

Gavin had never had a partner that was so shameless about what they wanted and how they wanted it.

They discovered that Connor liked sex.

Connor liked sex a _lot._

The Friday after they had gotten together, Gavin had awkwardly invited Connor round to watch a movie and meet his cat. Innocent.

Connor hadn’t left until early Monday morning.

Gavin had limped in on Monday, bags under his eyes and a dazed expression on his face.

He had slumped in his chair, and Tina and Chris shared a look before coming over.

Tina peered at him. “You uh, okay there?” she asked, blinking owlishly at him. “You look like you ran a marathon. Did you get _any_ sleep?”

Chris just stared at him. “Gavin, did you get attacked by your cat on your way in? What the fuck happened to your neck?”

Indeed, Connor had left his mark. Or rather, _marks_. Gavin had left his own on the android, watching in fascination at how the marks bloomed dusky blue on his skin.

He had lifted his eyes, exhausted and wrung out in the very best way.

“I,” he began slowly, in disbelief. “Have had more sex this weekend than I’ve had in the whole last fucking _decade.”_

Chris made a face, and Tina raised an eyebrow.

“That was quick. Haven’t you only been together since last week?” she asked.

Gavin groaned, rubbing his eyes.

“He said he wanted to try sex, since he’d never done it before. Turns out he likes it.” He mumbled.

“Man, it looks like you were fucking mauled.” Chris muttered, fascinated despite himself. “Who would have thought? Our sweet little android.” He shook his head. “I can never look at him the same again.”

Tina snorted. “Well? Spill the deets.”

Gavin blinked at her. “The what?”

“The deets. Details. It’s what the kids say.” She assured him. “Now talk. What’s he like in bed?”

Chris, pretending to look disinterested, listened in.

Gavin blew out a breath through pursed lips. “In one word? Shameless.” He admitted. “Fuck, he just... has no compulsion to hide _anything_. Just comes out and says it.” He knew be sounded amazed, but he still was. He was still shaken from that morning, when Connor had very candidly asked him if they could try shower sex before they had to go to work.

He still felt dazed. “I thought I might die from dehydration, but he went and got me Gatorade to ‘keep my electrolytes up so we can go again’.” He did a bad impression of Connor, overly exaggerating the android’s mannerisms.

Tina gave a barking laugh. “That’s hilarious. I wouldn’t have thought.”

Gavin leaned forward, looking grumpy. “I thought my fucking dick was gonna fall off.” He grumbled. “What am I anyway, a sex toy?”

Chris grinned. “If you were, I think they would have designed you taller.”

Gavin snarled at him and gave him the finger. Chris just laughed.

* * *

Hank had not been pleased.

“Reed.” He had greeted one day a week later, curt and accompanied by a withering glare.

Gavin knew that he knew.

“Anderson.” He responded, folding his arms. “Guess he told you, then.”

Hank scowled. “Yeah.” There was a pause, and Gavin started feeling agitated.

“Look, if you’re gonna threaten me or tell me to leave him alone, I’m gonna tell you to fuck right off back to that trash pile you call a desk, yeah?” He snarled. “So save us both the bother.”

Hank just stared at him. “Why you, huh?” He asked, tone mean. “What is so good about you?”

Gavin could only shrug. “I dunno. Ask him.” He smirked and made an obscene grabbing motion towards his crotch. He wanted Hank to hurt. “Maybe I give him what he _wants_ -"

And then Hank punched him in the face.

Connor came to visit them in solitary. Fowler had shouted at them, but when Hank threw himself bodily at Gavin again, the Captain had ordered them both be stuck in the lock up until they calmed down.

Connor walked in, and Gavin winced. Hank fiddled with a loose string on his jacket cuff.

Connor didn’t say anything for the longest time, and it was making Gavin feel like absolute shit, guilty like he was talking to his mom.

“Really?” Connor asked, expression cool. Gavin winced. Connor was furious.

Hank glared. “Hey, don’t talk to me like a fuckin’ child Connor, I-"

“Then stop acting like one!” the android snapped, and Gavin winced. Connor didn’t get angry often, and it was a good job. Hank growled something uncomplimentary. Gavin smirked at him.

“That goes for you, too.” Connor said to him sharply. “Was this really about me, of all things?”

Hank grunted, clearly furious. “He said some... things about you.”

Connor turned silently towards Gavin, and Gavin felt annoyed.

“I didn’t say shit! You came over, about to threaten me to stay away from him or whatever, and I told you to fuck off.” He sneered, blood boiling.

“And then you told me you'd been fucking him!” Hank roared.

Gavin glared. “I didn’t say that.” He muttered. “I just made a joke. It's not my fault he can’t take a fucking joke-”

Connor's expression looked pinched. “Gavin, shut up. Hank, please listen to me. Gavin and I are in a relationship. We have sex.” he said bluntly. “I enjoy it. I’m not being coerced or threatened. If I was, I would have dislocated the rest of his fingers.” He said simply. “And reported him.”

He sighed, expression going soft. “Hank, please look at me.”

The grizzled detective did so, blue eyes vulnerable and defensive. Connor smiled to him, and Gavin felt like he was intruding on something private.

“I’m an adult, please let me make my own choices.” Connor said gently. “You know I would come to you if there was anything wrong, right?”

Hank looked deflated. “I just... don’t want to see you hurt. Not by this asshole.” He growled at the end, and Gavin threw him a withering look.

“Fuck off, why don't you just-"

“Gavin.” Connors voice stopped him, and he glared sullenly at the android.

“Oh, are you going to give me a lecture now too? Treat me like a fucking naughty child?” He snapped.

Connor looked disappointed, and _fuck_ if that wasn’t worse than anger.

“No.” He sighed and leaned close enough to the bars to gently guide Gavin closer, and to press a kiss to his mouth through them. It wasn’t the best kiss, not with the bars in the way, but it was warm and sweet. Connor looked at him in the same adoring way, but now it was tinged with hurt. Gavin felt like shit.

“You know I wouldn’t ask you to change,” be whispered. “But please, don’t make it worse for yourself. I had to beg Fowler to not suspend you.”

Gavin felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. “What? But _he_ fucking punched _me_!”

“He’s not getting off scott free either.” Connor assured. “But considering you’re still on thin ice after our... disagreement, Fowler thinks you can’t be trusted to work alongside us. Also, half the precinct saw you goading him.”

Gavin blushed. He hadn’t been thinking when he'd made that obscene gesture.

“So, please?” Connor seemed genuinely worried, and it made Gavin feel awful. He hated the feeling.

“Yeah,” he muttered. “Okay. But if he comes at me again-"

Connor nodded. “I know. I wouldn’t want you to completely stifle yourself.” He smiled and brushed his fingertips over Gavin's cheek. They were warm.

He pulled away and straightened his tie. “I’ll get someone to release you both.” He said simply. “I’m still angry, but like you said, you’re not _children_." His tone was pointed, and Gavin saw Hank cringe.

He left without another word, and Gavin slumped against the bars, blowing out a breath through pursed lips.

Hank sat, head bowed, and shoulders hunched. He looked at Gavin out of the corner of his eye.

“He really does like you.”

Gavin scoffed. “Is that so hard to believe?” He muttered.

Hank shrugged. “Yeah. You’re a cunt.”

That startled a laugh out of him, humourless and harsh.

“Yeah. I guess he has a bad taste in men.” He shook his head.

“You like him?” The question sounded fragile.

Gavin glanced over. Hank was watching him, hands clenched.

“Yeah.” He said simply, not feeling the need to explain further. “I do.”

Hank stared for a moment, and then went back to contemplating his hands.

* * *

Connor had been angry with him for a week after that, although that didn’t stop the android bringing him breakfast every morning. It was nice really, to know that they weren’t so fragile as to buckle under the first mistake.

Eventually, things returned to normal and suddenly, they had been together for six months.

Gavin was floored. The time had flown by, and they hadn’t even thrown anything at each other, despite how much bickering they did.

Usually Connor stayed at his place, although he had been the androids flat before.

He had assumed he had been staying with Anderson, which Connor had said was the case until some time ago when it was mutually decided that he was going to get somewhere of his own. When he asked why Connor hadn’t told him, he had said that he had tried asking for a favour some time ago, only be told to leave. Gavin vaguely remembered some mean words in the break room and realised that the favour Connor was going to ask him was related to house hunting.

Now he felt stupid.

Still, the first time Connor had let him in, he had been floored.

The place was tiny. It was a studio apartment, so there were only two rooms, one being a bathroom.

It was dim and stuffy, and no amount of cheerful plants and pretty things on the walls could disguise that it was barely liveable.

Connor didn’t have a bed, just a sofa and the tiniest kitchen Gavin had ever seen. A wardrobe was in one corner, and an old television was on a rickety looking stand opposite the sofa. All in all, the entire thing was about the size of Gavin's kitchen.

Connor had looked very embarrassed, quickly grabbing what he had needed to pick up before hurrying Gavin out of the door.

Gavin had bluntly asked how much he was paying in rent, and promptly wanted to find Connor’s landlord and punch him.

Connor had quickly tried to calm him down.

“Gavin, I know it’s expensive and it might not be the biggest place, but it’s mine. It's close to Hank.” He said softly, and Gavin understood. Hank lived in a nice part of town, and poor Connor wanted to be as close to his father figure as he could. He sighed.

“Yeah, I get it. Fuck, you’re getting ripped off.” he grunted.

Connor nodded. “I know. This was the only place I could afford that was close enough.” He admitted. “I’m the only android here.”

Gavin shook his head as they walked down the road towards where the car was parked. “You don’t even have a _bed.”_

Connor smiled, and bumped his elbow. “I don’t need one. I only shut down for two hours a night.” He murmured. “Besides, _you_ have a big bed.”

Gavin chuckled at the hint and resolved to get Connor something nice to brighten up the shithole he called an apartment.

Later, when they were exhausted, and Connor was tracing patterns on his stomach, Gavin couldn't help but watch him.

His hair was floppy and free from gel, and he looked relaxed. He was naked, the sheets just about covering the swell of his behind as he lay on his stomach, pressed close to Gavin. Gavin’s hand was in his hair, and he swore he felt the android shiver.

He was lovely in the late afternoon sun, the light spilling from the skylight painting his skin champagne gold, and making his eyes look like rich, warm wood. Gavin had no idea how Connor could like him so much, but he hoped the android never wised up to how much better he could do.

Connor smiled lazily, and Gavin realised he was tracing numbers on his skin. He looked down, bemused. “Are you calculating pi down there?” He asked, voice heavy.

Connor blinked at him. “How did you know?” he asked, tilting his head.

Gavin scoffed. “I’m great.”

Connor snorted. “You’re _lucky_.”

Gavin shrugged. “Same thing, dipshit.”

Connor shifted, and Gavin watched how the sheets moved on his body. The damn android was built like an underwear model, and Gavin never wanted him to put clothes on ever again.

Connor noticed, and pressed a kiss to his stomach. “Up for another?” He asked, smiling.

Gavin huffed. “Insatiable, you are.”

Connor gave him a look as he wriggled further down the bed, taking the sheets with him. Gavin felt cold air on places cold air shouldn't be and shivered. Connor grinned, pressing warm kisses to the inside of his thighs.

“You keep up with me.” He murmured, his breath warm on Gavin's skin. “You’re just as bad.”

Gavin felt his belly ignite in warmth, something tight coiling there. “I’m not the one trying his damnedest to get through the Karma Sutra by Christmas.” He muttered.

Connor shrugged was well as he was able to in his position. “You want me to stop?”

Gavin glared, but gave up as he tipped his head back onto the pillow at the android’s touch. “No.” He ground out. “You little shit.”

He heard Connor laugh, before neither of them could do much talking anymore.


	5. Blood On Fire

Connor, Gavin was aware, could be aggressive when it came to sex.

Not in a way that made him uncomfortable, but in a way that set his blood on fire.

The android was on top of him, straddling him and pressing feverish kisses to his mouth and neck.

They were on the couch, having just got through one and a half hours of Robocop, and Gavin had idly wondered if Robocop still had a dick. Somehow, that had led to a discussion of android sexual activity and preferences, and now Connor was nibbling at his jaw, trying to get his hoodie off.

Dressed in jeans and a simple long-sleeved t-shirt, Connor looked as casual as he ever did, and Gavin was all too ready to get him naked and listen to him moan as he bent him over the arm of the sofa.

The android never went into sex at anything other than maximum enthusiasm, which honestly flattered Gavin no end. Exhausted him too, but it was the good kind of exhaustion.

Connor was still discovering what he liked and what he didn’t, and it was a privilege to watch him learn. He wanted to try _everything_.

He liked it rough. He liked it when Gavin talked dirty to him, but he didn’t like him to be mean. He liked cuddling.

He _loved_ things in his mouth.

He hated food play. Something about it just rubbed the androids sense of cleanliness the wrong way.

Gavin had once tried to tell him how gross sex was when you thought about it, but Connor had shushed him.

He _really_ liked Gavin's police issued handcuffs.

Sometimes he liked it slow and sweet, all intimacy and whispered words.

He liked telling Gavin how good he was. (Gavin would never admit it, but he liked hearing that too.)

He quite liked fucking Gavin, although it was rare for them both to be in the mood for it at the same time. Gavin blushed bright red every time he remembered the times when they switched. He had never been one to bottom often, and it was embarrassing to admit that he liked it sweet and gentle when he did.

Connor was all too happy to provide. It had almost moved him to tears the first time, with how careful the android was being. Connor had murmured lovely things in his ear the whole time, and Gavin was sure he had never felt so _wanted_.

Gavin didn’t feel wanted often.

Now though, was not the time for that.

Connor had succeeded in shedding his own shirt, and one hand was doing wonderful things under Gavin's hoodie. The other hand was firmly shoved under the band of his human lovers sweatpants, and Gavin felt himself tense.

“O-oh, fuck-" he shuddered, and felt his lover smile against the skin of his throat.

Fuck, Gavin still couldn’t quite believe the serious, even tempered android was so fucking _wicked._

Not to be outdone, Gavin reached around Connors body and grabbed a double handful, giving an appreciative squeeze. Connor rolled his hips, dragging his tongue over Gavin’s jugular and gently biting the skin.

Gavin had gotten used to walking around with marks all over him, and had given up telling Connor to stop. It was a surprisingly possessive move from the android, and Gavin could only wonder how he had never noticed such personality from him.

He fumbled with Connors jeans, bemoaning the fact that the android refused to wear sweatpants even at home, and slipped them down to his knees. Connor had to do an ungainly wiggle to get them off.

Gavin grabbed and squeezed to his hearts content, happy beyond words that Connor was a boxer-briefs man.

Maybe one day he could convince the android to wear a jock-strap, just for him? Salivating at the thought, he brought his mouth close to his lovers ear. “I’m gonna fuck you right here on this couch.” He promised, and grinned as Connor gave a full body shiver. He leaned back on his haunches, hair a mess and cheeks flushed pleasantly blue.

He gave a lopsided grin that Gavin loved, and his tongue darted out to wet dry lips.

“Really?” He murmured, the hand down Gavin's pants tightening its grip a fraction, enough to make Gavin lose his breath for a moment.

He nodded. “Yeah. Gonna bend you over and fuck you until you can’t walk.”

Connor didn’t use words to respond, just surged forward and kissed him. Gavin grinned into the kiss, turned on by how much Connor wanted him.

“Unless you wanna ride me?” He managed, and Connors hips stuttered for a moment. Gavin bit at the junction between his neck and his shoulder.

Connor pulled back, expression stern except for how desperate he looked. “I want that.” He agreed without preamble. “You are going to sit there and I’m going to fuck myself on you."

Gavin had never been happier to take an order before in his life.

“Move for me?” He asked in between kisses, not caring if his request sounded desperate.

There was a little huff of amusement in his ear, before Connor shifted and withdrew his hand, and ground his hips down until Gavin saw stars.

Dear _god_ that fucker could _move._

Gavin's hands were at his lovers hips, watching Connor grind down on him, the friction making him feel light headed.

They were losing themselves in another kiss when the phone rang.

The ringtone was some sci-fi theme tune from forever ago, so Connor could easily identify it at Gavin’s.

“Gavin-" he managed as Gavin laid kisses on him. “Your phone-" Kiss. “It’s ringing-” Kiss.

“I know. I’m busy.” His lover grunted before pulled him close yet again.

The ringing stopped. Then started up again.

Connor pulled himself away, flushed. “They’re persistent.” He pointed out. Gavin made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat, growing annoyed.

Connor leaned over him to look at the caller ID, and bit his lip. “It’s says ‘mom’.” He said and was nearly sent flying as Gavin lurched forward to grab the phone.

“Mom?” He greeted, looking wide eyed. Connor was still sitting on him, mostly naked and looking startled. The android tried to get off him, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of staying as he was while he was on the phone to his mother. Gavin shook his head and mouthed ‘Two minutes’ with a pleading expression. Connor sighed, and stayed where he was.

“Gavin?” his mother’s voice sounded in his ear. “You usually pick up on the first ring.”

“Yeah, I had my hands full.” He explained, ignoring Connors sly smile. “What’s going on? Is dad okay?”

He heard his mom tut. “He's fine. Can’t I just phone up to ask how you are?” she asked, and Gavin sighed away from the phone.

“Sorry.”

She sighed down the phone at him. “We're coming to visit Detroit for a few days dear, and just wanted to let you know.”

He blinked. “You are? What’s the occasion?”

There was a pause. “No occasion.” His mother said, and she sounded a little sad. “We’ve not seen you in a while.”

Four years. Gavin had kept track.

“I... okay. Yeah, that would be nice.” He said, meaning it. Fuck, he hadn’t really felt like it was that long.

“That’s wonderful!” He felt guilt shoot through his stomach at how happy his mother sounded. Connor had shifted and was now laying half on him, his head on his chest and listening to his heartbeat.

“The twenty sixth, is that okay?” She asked, and he tugged his attention away from his lover. He smiled despite himself. “Yeah, that’s fine. Text me the details?” He asked.

“Of course.” There was another pause. “It’ll be nice to see you.”

Gavin swallowed painfully. “Yeah, it’ll be good to see you too.”

He blinked, and on a whim, blurted out something else.

“Love you, mom.”

He heard her smile through her voice. “I love you too.”

They hung up, and suddenly Gavin felt weird.

He prodded Connor, who wasn't even pretending not to listen. “Hear that?”

The android nodded. “It will be nice.” He said simply and Gavin agreed. It would be.

Now.

He had a half-naked Connor sprawled over him, and even a phone call from his mom couldn’t keep his body from wanting some of _that._

He reached out and wound his hand on Connor's hair, before tightening the hold and tugging gently.

“I thought you said you going to ride me?”

The android smiled, angelic even when he was being manhandled.

“I suppose I did.” He murmured. “Sit back.”

* * *

“D'you ever like... wanna fuck the shit out of someone, but also cook for them and go on dates and do cute shit together?”

Chris stared at him. “Your drunk.”

Gavin nodded sagely. “Fucking _fucked_.” He agreed. “Cause I wanna do that with him. I mean, we fuck all the time. Like, _all_ the time.” He slurred, waving his beer around. “And it’s _good_. He’s a slut.” He said stupidly, before pausing. “No he’s not, you didn’t hear me say that.”

Chris pinched the bridge of his nose.

“So I wanna screw him into the mattress most of the time, but I also want him to meet my parents and do cute date shit. Is that weird? It feels weird.” He mumbled, polishing off another beer. “Feels like you shouldn’t get both.”

Chris sighed. “Gavin, not everyone has had such a shit dating record.” He pointed out. “That’s actually not uncommon.”

Gavin crackled open another beer. “It’s way too fuckin’ good.” He grunted, leaning on the bar. They were waiting for Connor and Tina, who was bringing Penny. “I feel like something is gonna ruin it.”

Chris looked sympathetic. “Maybe it’s just good?” He asked, shrugging.

“It’s... casual. I’m used to screaming and jealously and throwing shit.” He grumbled. “I went out last night to go for a ride on my bike and he didn’t even accuse me of anything!” He rambled, his beer almost spilling as he waved his arms. “He didn’t even ask if I was with anyone.”

He sighed, drunken feelings swimming in his head.

“I had to ask him if he was pissed. He just... looked at me like I was a fuckin’ weirdo, and said no.” He mumbled, feeling confused and pathetic.

Chris was looking at him like he looked at the families he had to give bad news to.

“Man, you’re fucked up.” He sighed. “Connor is... well, he’s got the patience of a saint to put up with you.” he snarked. “But don’t you think that if you had upset him, he would tell you? You know he’s as subtle as a hammer about his feelings. I had to stop him from talking about how much he likes it when you walk around naked after a shower.” He said dryly.

Gavin looked up blearily. “He does?”

Chris rolled his eyes. “Of course the only bit you heard was about sex. I swear you weren’t like this before.”

“I never had a sex crazed android after my dick then either.” Gavin pointed out. Connor was hardly ‘sex crazed’, but a little exaggeration never hurt. “Especially one who looks like Connor. Some designer at Cyberlife went to way too many strip clubs as ‘research'.”

“I think I’ll take that as a compliment.” Came a bemused voice from behind him. He turned quickly and felt his head spin, his cheeks flushing.

“Babe, what are you doin' here?” He slurred, eyes wide.

“I believe we had an agreement to meet here.” He said simply, smiling fondly. He walked over, and settled himself onto a barstool next to Gavin, who was feeling awkward.

“Uh, I didn’t mean-"

“It’s fine.” Connor assured. “Maybe I should learn some moves to make it more realistic?”

Chris snorted into his rum and coke, and Gavin grinned unsteadily. “That would be hot.”

“Mm, it would be.” The android said simply, ordering a drink. It was juice, when it came. Gavin gave him a look and Connor tilted his head.

“What?” He asked, genuinely baffled. Gavin huffed.

“Where’s Tina?” He asked, wracking his brain. “She’s bringing her girl, right? What’s it’s name... Penny?”

“ _Her_ name.”

Gavin blinked, realising at Connors correction what he had said.

“Shit, sorry. Yeah, her name.” He cursed. “Sorry.”

Connor nodded, and that was that. Gavin sent a desperate look to Chris, hoping to convey his point. Connor hadn't started an argument, hadn’t pressed his buttons or accused him of anything. He was confused.

Chris rolled his eyes. “Connor,” be started, and Gavin saw in drunken slow motion what his friend was going to do. “Gavin's being an idiot. He thinks you get mad at him but don’t show it.”

Connor blinked, confused. He looked towards Gavin, his jaw tense and eyes glaring at Chris.

“I am not angry.” He said simply, tilting his head. “I would inform you if I was.”

Chris slapped the bartop loudly, pointing. “Yes, exactly.” He stressed. “So fuck off with your over thinking.”

Gavin scowled at him, embarrassed and angry. “Hey, maybe you should mind your own fucking-"

“Gavin?”

He turned with a glare, ready to meet whatever Connor was about to say.

Instead he was met with a kiss, soft and quick. He barely had time to respond before it was over.

“I’m not angry.” Connor assured, soft. “Trust me to tell you if I am.”

Gavin squirmed, feeling awkward with this intimate talk in such a public place.

“Yeah.” He managed. “Yeah, okay.”

Connor smiled at him, and promptly started a conversation with Chris.

That was _it._

Connor was so very logical and... cool headed. Gavin honestly didn’t get him sometimes.

He appreciated him, but he couldn't understand him.

Gavin would have probably ended up in a screaming match by this point in a relationship, where either he would walk out or they would.

In three months, Connor would be his longest relationship since college.

 _Fuck_.

Overtaken by a sudden feeling of affection permeating his drunken brain, he slipped an arm around his lover, as casual as he could.

He felt Connor shift and then settle closer to him, a remarkably human mannerism that he marvelled at.

Connor had shed his jacket and was in a slim fitting shirt, the top buttons undone, and sleeves rolled up. He had obviously come straight from work, as his tie was peeking out from one of his jacket pockets, visible where the garment was thrown over the back of the chair.

Gavin could feel warmth seep through the material of his shirt.

Sometimes he forgot Connor wasn’t human.

It was all too easy, until he saw the LED on his temple flicker yellow or blue.

He was so perfect to Gavin though, that it didn’t seem to matter.

Tina finally arrived, her face flushed from hurry and hand in hand with a woman Gavin assumed to be Penny.

Penny was cute, he had to admit. He had no desire for women, but even he could admit that Penny was pretty.

She had very dark skin and liquid dark eyes, and a curvy figure that made her face look full and lively. She wore her hair in a playful afro, and had placed colourful clips in it. She was smiling.

They got closer, and Chris raised his hand to greet them.

“Sorry we're late,” Tina grinned. “Traffic was terrible. Guys, this is Penny, my partner.”

Penny waved shyly. “Hello.” She greeted, and she had a pleasantly soft voice.

Tina beamed, brushing her hair from her face. Penny was tall for a female android, and Tina seemed much shorter by her side.

“This is Chris,” he pointed to the good-natured officer, who grinned. “He’s the nice one.”

“That’s Connor, he’s the sensible one.”

Connor smiled, friendly. “Nice to meet you.” He said simply, and Gavin saw Penny staring at his LED.

Tuna turned her attention on him, eyes bright. “And this is Gavin. He’s a massive douchebag.”

“Fuck off.” He grunted, and gave her the finger.

Tina laughed, but Penny seemed uncertain. She glanced at Gavin, dark eyes worried.

Connor smiled at her. “Ignore him. He’s not so bad.” He assured. “Are you?”

Gavin glared at him, even as he tightened his hold on the androids waist. “I’m fucking saintly, fuck you.”

He watched Connor open his mouth to respond, and before knew it they were playfully bickering, insults thrown left and right.

“You’re about as pleasant as roadkill, Gavin.”

“Fuck you Cleverbot, at least I can beat a Captcha.”

It continued on, Chris watching them like it was a tennis match.

“Are... are they always like this?” Gavin dimly heard Penny ask.

Tina grinned. “Yeah. It’s this or being so weird and couple-y that you could swear they're about to fuck in front of you.” She shrugged, her hand in Penny’s. “It’s sort of like a soap opera. Only with more swearing.”

Chris nodded. “And more innuendo.” He added.

“ _Detective_ , no need to hold a grudge. If I told you that you have a beautiful body, would you hold that against me too?”

Gavin just about laughed and lost the challenge, but managed to hold himself together.

Penny giggled, watching the two of them, and Tina looked at her like she was sunshine.

The night progressed and Gavin ended up half asleep in Connor's lap, his nose pressed against the androids neck. Connor always smelled nice.

“If you don't mind me asking Connor, why have you kept your LED?” Penny asked, curious. Chris and Tina were playing drunken pool, so she was chatting with Connor and a monosyllabic Gavin.

Gavin felt Connor tilt his head. “I do not see why I need to remove it.” He admitted, and Gavin wanted to know the answer too.

“Most Deviants do so to become more human, which I have nothing against.” He said simply, absently running his fingers through Gavin’s hair. It felt wonderful, and he fought not to make a pleased noise.

“I know what I am, and what I am not. And I am _not_ human.” He said simply, as though it really was that easy. Maybe it was. “I do not feel the need to pretend to be one, although I suspect my rent would go down if I did.” He said with a smile. “So no, I have not removed my LED.”

Gavin listened to them talk, thinking. Connor was not human.

He wasn’t even pretending to be human. He didn’t seem as full of android pride as some of the more fiery revolutionaries, but he also was refusing to remove his LED, the thing that had become a symbol of android repression and exploitation.

Connors fingers trailed through his hair, and he shivered all the way down his spine.

He felt weird, like it was supposed to matter more than it did. He remembered how he had felt when he had hated androids, how Connor snapping had been a catalyst but not a turning point. It had been gradual, a slow, creeping realisation.

He hadn’t even noticed when Connor had stopped being an ‘it’ and started being a ‘he’. When he had thoughtlessly held the door behind him for Ian, the new android technician. When he had smiled for Tina when she told him about Penny, instead of feeling disgusted.

It wasn’t like he was particularly rabid in his support, or even vocal. It was just that it didn’t seem strange any more.

He supposed he likened it to past ages of homophobia and racism, where ‘us and them' had been a yawning chasm that had gradually closed until people didn’t even think about ‘them’ any more.

Gavin had experienced his share of slurs and insults, but even when he was young it had been dying out. He hadn’t been a _novelty_.

Few but some holdouts from the older generation stared or whispered.

He was obviously different, but different was so commonplace that it didn’t seem to matter.

So he took a boy to the prom and a few people called him a faggot, but it was high school and in high school no one got away without some kind of comment. He’d had more teasing over being a foster-kid.

He’d kissed Andrew and thought with teenage stupidity that he might get laid at prom like in the movies, but Andrew’s mom took him home before Gavin could get him alone.

Pity.

Now, sprawled drunkenly in Connors lap, breathing in the scent of him (warm spice, his laundry detergent and the faintest hint of new plastic), he wanted to punch his past self.

He had been missing out on _this._

This feeling of safety, of _comfort._

Fuck, Gavin wasn’t used to calm, wasn’t used to _easy._ If he had wanted anything, he had had to take it. If he wanted people to remember he existed and not walk all over him, he had to be tough, had to pretend like nothing bothered him. Even his real parents hadn’t wanted him, hadn’t thought he was worth the effort. He had become hard and rough as he bounced around foster-home after foster home, until one day he realised he hadn’t moved on in a while. So, he had stayed with the family that had taken him in, and then his brain started thinking of them as mom and dad. The curiosity about his birth parents hadn’t gone away, and his dad had been kind enough to help him search.

The truth had not been satisfying.

His real mom had been a wash out of a person, a party girl who had blown through her money and dropped out of everything she had ever tried. His dad had stuck around for a month or so before disappearing. His mom had Gain taken away soon after he had turned seven, having never given up the booze and drugs and bad boyfriends.

He had ended up with kind people, even if he hadn’t always gotten along with his new sisters. They were, after all, better at him at literally everything they put their minds to. He wasn’t even their _real_ brother. He was just this scruffy kid with anger issues who needed glasses five inches thick and had a reading age several years below where he should have been.

So no, Gavin didn’t feel like he knew easy.

Easy felt like a trap.

Slowly, the tension he carried around at every waking moment was ebbing away for the first time since forever.

He felt Connors thumb brush his temple and he sighed, too drunk and peaceful to continue down a path he knew would make him angry.

He sighed and let conversation wash over him, surprisingly content in the arms of an android.


	6. Things That I like About Gavin’s Body - By Connor

Gavin had taken a day off to see his family when they visited, and it was the first time he had done so voluntarily.

He always took the bare minimum of days off required by law, and even then he spent most of them working from home. Work was his life, and he threw himself into it.

Now, he had more than work.

Not much more, but still.

Connor was trying to go to work. Gavin _really_ didn’t want him to go.

He had his arms around the androids waist, feeling silly in the best way.

He pressed kisses over Connors stomach, marvelling at how he twitched at his light touch, just like a human would.

There was a trail of hair low on his belly, and Gavin would pursue that later. For now, he was content just distracting his lover.

Connor was looking bemused, awake and halfway sat up, resting on his elbows.

“Gavin, I have to get up.” He murmured, amused.

“Not yet you don’t.” he grunted, tightening his hold.

Connor smiled.

“I really do. Unlike you, I have to be in today.”

Gavin looked up and gave him the evil eye, which probably lost some of its effectiveness when paired with his bed hair and sleepy expression. He would forever deny that he was pouting.

Connor melted, reaching out a hand to run through his hair.

“You’re adorable.” He sighed, pleased.

Gavin scowled, lifting his head to glare.

“Fuck you, I am _not._ ”

“You are.” The android assured, and to Gavin’s surprise, wiggled back under him and into the sheets. Connor liked cuddling.

“I want a shower. If you like, you can fuck me against the wall in there.” He offered, and Gavin didn’t think he would _ever_ get used to that bluntness.

Gavin shrugged. “Or I’ll blow you.” He grinned. “Wanna see me on my knees for you, all wet and with a mouthful of cock?”

But he could play that game too.

Connor's cheeks were tinted blue. He nodded. “Yes.” He breathed, and Gavin felt a surge of pride that he could affect Connor so. The android paused and looked up at him through lowered lashes, and it was at moments like this when Gavin couldn't quite reconcile the straight laced, sweet natured good-boy with this gorgeous, wicked thing in his bed.

“Why don’t we do both?” Connor offered. “You get on your knees, and then you fuck me.” He offered, pleased with himself. He looked mischievous. “Hank can repay a favour and cover me.”

Gavin was so proud.

He bent his head and kissed his lover, who wrapped his arms around him and returned it. One leg came up to hook over his hip and keep them close, the pressure and explicit promise of what they were going to do in the shower making them groan.

Feeling dirty and turned on, he licked a stripe up Connor's neck, moving to suckle on a chosen spot.

Connor ground his hips up and ran his fingernails down Gavin’s back, eliciting a full body shiver.

“Gavin,” Connor breathed, staying close. Warm brown eyes watched him, heated and desperate. Gavin didn’t just see lust there, and it made him lose his breath. He propped himself on his elbows and leaned down for a kiss and felt Connor's hands move down to slip under his sleeping pants and give an appreciative squeeze.

Connor liked his body.

The android was never shy about it, and when Gavin had awkwardly asked why he liked it so much. He was nothing more than average, but Connor had looked so surprised at that Gavin had flushed pink. The android had said that he had read an article that said to compliment your partner often, with all the things you liked about them.

So, in true Connor style, he had written a list, stored it on his internal hard drive, and referred to it whenever he wanted to say something nice.

He had shared that list with Gavin.

Gavin had been speechless as he had read it.

_Things That I like About Gavin’s Body_

  1. _His smile. I like how many different smiles he has._
  2. _His eyes. Grey is my favourite colour._
  3. _His behind. It’s firm and I like touching it._
  4. _His hips._
  5. _His face. He is handsome._
  6. _His arms. His biceps are very nice._
  7. _His shoulders. He has broad shoulders._
  8. _His height. I think it’s cute and I like being able to hug him. ***Do not mention this to Gavin, as I do not believe he would appreciate it.**_



Gavin had never gone so red in the face, and Connor had looked a little shy. He had murmured that it was all true, and that was only the list of the physical. Apparently, there were _other_ lists too.

Gavin had blustered and argued, but Connor had been so earnest that he accepted that the android just had strange taste. Connor would murmur things in his ear when they fucked (‘making love’ sounded too much like a romance novel), about how handsome he was, how good and how skilled.

(He still thought about that list sometimes, and it always made him feel fuzzy and warm when he did.)

So when Connor used his legs to draw Gavin even closer, his mouth brushing the shell of the humans ear, and whispered sinful encouragement, Gavin felt like he never wanted to let go.

The android looked like sex on legs as he ground up on Gavin, arching his back and exposing his throat.

With a grin, Connor exerted some strength and Gavin’s world felt dizzy for a moment before he found himself on his back, Connor on top of him. The android was smiling and bent his head to give him a kiss.

He pulled away far too early and dismounted from Gavin, throwing him a pleased look as he headed for the bathroom.

Connor hadn't quite mastered ‘come hither', but Gavin wouldn’t have him any other way. Stumbling over himself, he didn’t dare move his gaze in case he missed anything. Connor also hadn’t learned the art of the striptease and removed his sleeping clothes quickly and without a show.

Gavin didn’t mind.

“Some Cyberlife designer was fucking horny when they made you.” He breathed, stepped into the shower and feeling warm water hit his skin. Connor was a dream when he was wet, rivulets running down his body. He pushed his dripping hair back from his face, blinking beads of moisture from his eyelashes.

Gavin kissed him, pressing him against the tiles. They spent indeterminate minutes like that, kissing and running their hands over each other. Connor grabbed his ass again, looking playful.

Gavin huffed a laugh and pressed their lips together briefly, before stepping back with the kind of look that he had been told was positively devilish and dropped to his knees.

From the way Connor stared, he supposed he looked good. He _felt_ good.

Confident in a way that had nothing to do with his fists, he grinned as he ran a hand down his chest and stomach, touching himself and enjoying an audience.

His legs were spread, and he could feel warm water running down his skin. He leaned in, pressing kisses down the wet skin of Connors stomach. He licked some of the water off, and one hand came up to grip his lovers’ hip, steadying himself.

When he had first gotten Connor naked (that had _not_ been difficult), he had half expected a serial number branded onto his hip or something, but there was just smooth, pale skin dotted with freckles and moles.

He was a fucking _masterpiece_.

Gavin was in deep.

With a grin, he used his free hand to touch his lover, making him jerk slightly at the unexpected sensation. Gavin always had a MO when he used his mouth, having put a lot of thought into the whole thing. He was good at it, and he liked being good at things.

It was a winning strategy, and he couldn’t deny that he loved feeling a lover come undone at his hands (or mouth). That said, he had never liked a mouthful of come, which worked out well for his dating an android. Thirium was toxic to humans, so any ejaculate would have to be made of something else. Therefore, most android orgasms were dry, unless one purchased the synthetic ejaculate sold separately. That discussion had been, in Gavin’s opinion, the least sexy sex talk he had ever had. Connor had been quite candid, and of course he had already bought a decent supply of the stuff. They had played around with it, but Gavin was firmly against having it anywhere near his mouth. It tasted weird and the texture was too slippery. It was like having a mouthful of lube, which was _so_ not sexy. There were other places for that to go. Still, they were almost running out and would need to get more, but Gavin would let Connor handle that. There was no way he was walking into a Cyberlife store and buying a bottle of android come. Hell no.

Connor was good with his tongue. The overabundance of saliva produced because of his analysis function made him a wonder for blowjobs. It had been a particularly rough session when Connor had asked him to fuck his throat, because he had never tried it before and he thought it looked fun.

Gavin had almost combusted at Connor's hopeful look.

They had tried it, of course.

It had become something Connor really liked, and as Gavin pressed his nose to Connors stomach and closed his eyes, listening to his lovers quick breathing and muttered compliments, he could sort of see the appeal.

He fought to control his breathing, recalling that this skill was always well received, even if it did make him sound like he’d been gargling gravel for the rest of the day.

He was proud of it, it had taken a while before he had been able to do it as well as he could now, and he enjoyed listening his partners gasp and moan in surprise. He relaxed his throat, careful.

He pressed closer and fought off the urge to gag, revelling in the surge of pride and enjoyment at Connors strained curse.

Considering what he planned to do to the android, he supposed he was only fair that Connor got some from him first.

Later, when he had Connor pressed against the tiled wall of his shower, legs hooked around Gavin’s waist and his head tilted back to bare his throat as Gavin fucked him hard and deep, he couldn’t help but bite down on the junction of shoulder and neck, intent on leaving a mark.

He wanted everyone to _know_. Wanted them all to see Connor was with someone, with _him_. Wanted the fucking world to see that Gavin Reed had someone like _that._

He grunted into the wet skin of his lovers’ neck, doubling down and fucking him harder. Connor shuddered and clung to him, the angle driving him half mad. Gavin would have been afraid of hurting him had he not known Connors preferences like he knew his own, and not heard the android gasping ‘oh, oh, oh’ in time with his hips.

As an android made with combat in mind, Connor didn’t experience pain (or the android equivalent of) like a human or even another Deviant android would. Considering he had readouts and diagnostics to tell him when something was wrong, adding the feeling of pain would have only been cruel. He could ignore his receptors at will and wasn’t above completely abusing the ability in the bedroom.

Or anywhere that took his fancy, really.

He lifted his head and blinked water and sweat from his eyes, taking in the image of a beautifully wrecked Connor.

His eyes were hazy, and half lidded as moisture beaded on his eyelashes. His mouth was wet and bitten a plush red, and he was moaning loudly, occasionally gasping a curse or demand.

“There- _Oh, right there-_ Gavin, harder, please- _yes-“_

The sound of thundering water hit his ears, not quite covering the slick, obscene sound of flesh on flesh, and the rhythmic thump of Connor's back as Gavin screwed him into the wall.

Gavin suspected his water bill would be a little high this month.

Worth it.

He felt Connor arch his back and manage a choked word of warning before he tensed and pulled Gavin in closer with his ankles, keeping him in deep as he rode out the tidal wave of feeling. He buried his noises in Gavin’s throat, and Gavin could feel him bite down as he did so. The sudden change interrupted his rhythm and he tipped over the edge himself, grunting as he focused on holding Connor up while their rode their highs together.

It was intense, and Gavin always felt mentally and physically exhausted after they were done.

Connor gave a long, contented sigh, twisting and arching his back like a sated cat. He looked all too human. He gazed at Gavin with a little smile, back to looking sweet and innocent, an expression anathema to his debauched state, ruined and loving it.

“I love you,” Gavin heard him murmur drunkenly, and he fought to keep his breathing steady. It was the first-time either of them had said those words, and he felt-

He didn’t know. Fuck, he was _pleased._ Someone loved him. Someone fucking _loved_ him. Someone loved _him._ He felt his stomach do a weird summersault.

“Yeah,” he grunted awkwardly, his cheeks red and his heart swelling even as he pulled out of his lover and listened to him whine at the loss. He didn’t know what else to say.

They stayed close and let the water rush over them, foreheads pressed together and Connor leaning against the tiles as his legs stopped shaking.

They exchanged tired, pleased kisses, and eventually ended up clean.

Connor was late by now and had a huffy text message from Hank agreeing to cover him.

“When did you send him a message?” Gavin asked, blinking.

Connor smiled, buttoning his shirt. “I believe it was when you had your mouth around me in the shower.” He said simply, and Gavin shook his head.

“Are you gonna tell Hank you sent that while I had your cock down my throat?” He asked, grinning as he buttoned up his jeans.

Connor looked amused. “No. I like you, I would rather you not die at his hands.”

Gavin swallowed, his stomach squirming.

“Oh, so you only _like_ me?” He asked, aiming for teasing and failing. He was sure his smile was tense and he was dimly aware of how he was wringing his hands.

Connor blinked, and a slow smile spread over his face. He stepped closer, until they were almost nose to nose.

“Actually, I think I love you.” He murmured with the softest smile, tilting his head to one side.

Gavin met soft brown eyes. “You _think?_ ” He repeated, careful. Connor nodded.

“I have never experienced romantic love before.” He shrugged, a little shy. “Only platonic or familial. It feels similar, but not.” He frowned as he tried to explain. “I assumed it would be the same, only with the addition of lust. It’s not quite so.” He paused and tilted his head, smiling. “But yes, I think I have enough data to reliably classify myself as ‘in love’.”

He paused.

“With you, obviously. I wasn’t sure if that needed clarification.”

Gavin couldn’t help but laugh.

“You know what? Fuck it. I think I love you too, dipshit.” He muttered with a shaky little grin, feeling all kinds of everything. Connor had emotions now, he wondered if he got butterflies or nausea or any other responses from strong emotion.

He would have to ask him. Oh god, he was nervous. He was flinging himself into this without even thinking about it and what if Connor changed his mind or if he thought Gavin wasn't taking him seriously because Gavin was shit with emotions that weren't anger and Connor _knew_ that and-

Connor’s smile lit up the room. The android was serious, and his smiles were often reserved and small.

Now he was beaming, and his eyes crinkled at the corners, his hair still a damp, wavy mess from the shower.

Okay, that smile probably meant everything was fine.

Gavin felt a surge of affection and sighed, pulling the android into a hug. He felt Connors arms slip around him and hold him tight, breathing in the scent of his own shower gel and the faint hint of new plastic. He had always liked that smell. It reminded him of happier days and opening new toys at Christmas. He had never toys before that first Christmas with his foster-family, and he had been floored by the small pile under the tree with his name on it.

It felt good. It felt like he was on top of the fucking world and he would fight anyone who tried to drag him down.

Connor squeezed him tight and pressed a kiss into his damp hair, and Gavin never wanted to stop. He could feel the rise and fall of the android’s chest as he breathed in air to help his internal cooling systems. He could hear the odd triple beat of his pump regulator as he processed Thirium around his body. He was warm, he was there, and he loved Gavin. He wasn’t human, but he didn’t need to be. Fuck it.

He was getting mushy over a fucking _hug_.

No one would know though, so it was alright.

He let himself stay like that, held close and just enjoying it all.

* * *

 

It was as Connor was leaving that things went a bit pear shaped.

The android was smart and ready for work, all put together and slick. Gavin was... not. He had just about made the effort to brush his teeth and slip on some sweatpants and a too tight t-shirt that had ‘If you’re reading this, I hate you’ written on it.

It had been given to him as part of the DPD Secret Santa a few years ago. He had pretended he didn’t find it funny at the time. That had been two years ago, and it was still in his drawer, the black having washed out to faded grey with repeated wear.

Connor was standing in the threshold of his apartment, and Gavin was kissing him goodbye. Connor may have taken the opportunity to cop a feel, and his mischievous look told Gavin all he needed to know.

Gavin vaguely heard shuffling feet, before a voice interrupted them.

“I suppose this is the one making all the noise?”

They broke apart, and Gavin scowled at the interloper. Mrs Thornton from 615b was standing in her dressing gown, a pinched look on her face and her mail in her hand.

Connor, typically, saw this as an opportunity to make a new friend.

He smiled and took a step towards her. “Hello, my name is Connor.” He said with a pleasant tone. “I apologise if we disturbed you.”

Mrs Thornton looked him up and down, eyes lingering on his LED. “It's more polite than _you_.” She shot at Gavin, expression sour. Gavin scowled. “If I hear you... _doing things_ that loud again I’m calling the cops.”

Gavin folded his arms. “Lady, we are the cops.” He drawled. “And unless you wanna stop us, we will probably be fucking in the shower again.” He gave a mean smirk. “Might even do it every morning, just for you.”

Connor was blushing faintly blue. “Gavin...” He murmured, averting his eyes.

The woman looked revolted at the thought.

“I can’t believe they let faggots become cops these days,” she said with a snooty time of voice. “Not to be rude, but-"

“Ma'am?” Connor interrupted. “That was not a nice way to refer to my boyfriend.” He chided gently, and Gavin could hear how annoyed he was. When he was annoyed, Connor got real nice on the surface. “Please, apologise.”

She looked like she had sucked a lemon. “Excuse me? It’s what he _is_. What you are. It’s just a _word_ , there's no need to be so sensitive-" she scoffed.

Connor nodded.

“It is just a word, yes. It’s also offensive and derogatory.” He said simply. “Such as if I referred to you as a bitch.”

Gavin had the stifle a cackle of laughter.

“Excuse me? I-"

“You are excused.” Connor seemed to shrug, his expression deadly serious and earnest.

“I was just giving you an example. You insulted my boyfriend, and that’s not nice. I apologise for being so loud, but he is _ever_ so good in the bedroom. Or shower, I suppose.” He said with a straight face. Gavin felt like he was going to explode from containing his laughter. “However, I shall endeavour to keep it down next time.” He said as he tilted his head, smiling in that overly pleasant, annoying way.

Her nose was scrunched in in disgust.

“If there is a next time, I’m calling the cops.” She assured, red faced.

Connor nodded. “That is your right.” He allowed. “May I recommend asking for officer Miller? His desk is close to mine. Or perhaps officer Chen?” He smiled pleasantly. “I believe they would find our predicament funny, don’t you Gavin?”

Gavin nodded, too amused by this. “Yeah. The precinct is a bunch of gossips anyway, and Chen is the worst.”

Gavin looked towards his neighbour. “Mind your own fucking business next time.” He threw out. “Or better yet, follow our example and get laid. You clearly need it.” He scoffed and turned away from her.

Connor gave her another sunny smile designed to annoy and turned his back to her dismissively.

He winked at Gavin, and Gavin almost lost it. Grinning like a fool, he pulled Connor in for a kiss, and the android went willingly. Gavin gave her a bit of a show by groping him.

They heard angry spluttering and the sound of shuffling before a door was slammed. Gavin immediately pulled away and began to laugh. “That was _gold_.” He grinned.

Connor smiled back, pleased with himself. “She shouldn't say such things to you.” He said simply, and it made Gavin kiss him again.

Connor left, and Gavin watched his little eco-friendly run-around leaving the parking lot. He smiled, fond.

Connor was a good man, a genuinely nice person and an all-round goody goody.

Except when he wasn’t. Except when Gavin had him naked in bed with handcuffs on, face down and hips up and muttering filthy pleas that sounded like orders, or when he put the handcuffs on _Gavin_ and rode him until the human had to beg.

When he came home stressed, having had to duck things thrown at him after another protest outside, and Gavin calmed him with kisses and rose tea.

When he called Gavin’s horrible neighbour a bitch to her face in the politest way, because he thought she had upset Gavin.

He grinned.

He had a boyfriend with the sweetness of a first love, but the bedroom manner of a career slut.

Fucking _score_.

Extremely pleased with himself, he busied himself with tidying his apartment, aware that his mother might want to inspect it at some point.

As he did so, mind consumed with purely domestic tasks for a while, he noticed Connor's presence even after he had left.

He had a few pairs of underpants and socks in Gavin’s drawer, just in case. A small bottle of the cologne he liked was on Gavin’s dresser. Gavin would never admit it, but sometimes he sprayed a little on his pillow when he had to sleep alone.

Connor only ‘slept' for two hours or so a night, so that left the android with a lot of time to kill.

He had transcribed some interesting looking recipes for him and stuck them to the fridge, and he had input all Gavin’s shifts for the next two weeks into his fridge calendar, it’s holographic surface a pleasant yellow for August.

He had also taken to making Gavin lunch. Gavin had argued with him about it, but the android had assured him that he wanted to, and he had plenty of time during the night.

Eventually, Gavin just accepted Connors mothering tendencies.

Also, the food was good.

He had a proper packed lunch now, instead of just some boring sandwiches in a bag. He was a decent cook, but he was usually too tired to do any more than butter some bread and slap some quorn-ham or cheese on it. Dull.

So Connor reinvented his lunch. Sometimes he got sandwiches. Sometimes he got flavoured hummus with carrot sticks and celery, or boxed leftovers ready for the microwave, or even soup. Fruit made its way into the box, as well as little pots (Gavin was certain he hadn’t owned any little Tupperware pots before this) of nuts or berries to snack on, and one chocolate bar a day. Connor liked strawberries, so they shared them during movie nights and he gave the rest to Gavin for lunch.

Gavin seriously felt like he should be waking up any time now.

Of course, all this came with rabid teasing from the rest of the DPD. Most people had figured out that they were together by now, and while some of them still stared with abject confusion, people seemed to have gotten over it.

Connor took the ribbing and teasing with an affable smile, even as they called him ‘Mrs Reed’. Gavin however, was never so nice when people made comments about him.

Fuck them and their store-bought shit, he had fucking handmade sandwiches now.

Feeling pleasantly domestic, he checked the time and saw he had hours before he was due to pick his parents up from the airport.

He shrugged and kept cleaning. He wasn’t particularly messy person by nature, but his mother was fastidious.

He hadn't told her about Connor.

They lived in Canada and had done for years. They had moved there almost a decade ago and had therefore missed most of the android drama.

His family were the tolerant sort, and he had barely felt the confines of ‘the closet' before his mother started trying to set him up with her friends sons.

They didn’t know androids.

They would have seen the news and followed the unrest, and his mother did call during the riots to see if he was okay. He had only managed to take one of the calls, considering he was so busy with… everything.

They had probably never met one.

Detroit would be a culture shock.

He sighed, hoping things wouldn’t get awkward.


	7. A Crime, Of All Things

The airport wasn't too busy on a midweek afternoon during term time, so Gavin was early.

He set up camp in arrivals, drinking a coffee and feeling nerves claw at his belly.

He was thirty-six years old dammit, he shouldn’t be getting antsy about seeing his family.

He sipped his coffee with a grumpy scowl, slouching. He had managed to change into something slightly more respectable than his sweatpants and old t shirt, but he still felt underdressed. He had even styled his hair and trimmed his stubble, although he drew the line at going clean shaven. He looked like he was twelve when he shaved, and that was _so_ not badass.

He had done it once, after Connor had begged him, and he still recalled the sting of embarrassment as the android laughed until his vocal processor glitched. It wasn't fair; Connor looked perfect all the time, even when he had no right to. Stupid sexy androids.

He was keeping a watchful eye on the arrivals board, and the one he was watching was now at ‘Baggage Claim’, so he supposed he didn’t have much longer to wait.

Sure enough, a loud “Gavin!” cut across the crowd and he saw his foster-mom, striding hurriedly across the gap between them, her curls bouncing as she all but jogged to him. His heart clenched with fondness, and he stood up with a little grin, honestly pleased to see her. She reached him and hugged him so tight he felt himself lose breath, and he awkwardly returned the hug. Hugging Connor was so much easier.

She eventually let him go and held him at arm’s length to inspect him. She was tearing up, and Gavin felt awkward.

So _very_ awkward.

“Oh, you’ve grown.” She sighed happily. “How are you, dear?”

“I’m keeping.” He shrugged, absolutely convinced he had not, in fact, grown a damn inch. He checked. “Where’s Merry?”

His mother smiled. “She’s just fussing.” She assured. “She’s was on the phone as soon as she got signal.”

Gavin snorted. “To that hot-shot fiancé? At least that hasn’t changed.” He grunted. “Well, do you want some coffee while we wait on her?” He offered, and his mother blinked in surprise. Was she surprised that he was offering coffee instead of kicking off? He hadn’t been that bad, had he?

His mother nodded, tired and smiling. “Yes please. It’ll nice to stop for a little while.” She admitted.

She set her cases down and soon they were sipping on coffee.

“How's Liam been?” he asked his mom. He had never called his foster-father ‘dad’, but he didn’t need to. Liam would always be ‘dad' to him. He had been diagnosed with liver disease a year ago, and while he seemed to be doing alright, Gavin worried about him.

She nodded and moved her hand in a so-so gesture. “Okay.” She admitted. “He’s thinking of retiring soon, but he doesn’t know what he’ll do with the business.” She said simply, smiling “Sam is on tour, Merry is busy with her own career and you’re here looking at dead bodies for a living.” she tutted.

Gavin snorted. “It’s not always looking at dead bodies,” he drawled. “Sometimes I shout at people in interrogation rooms, or shoot things.”

Gavin’s mom made a face. “I don’t know how you stand it.” She admitted. “I know I couldn't.”

They chatted a little more about work, mostly staying towards Liam's business and how his mom was keeping.

His mom looked at him wistfully. “You look good, Gavin.” She said at last, and he felt his cheeks heat up. She studied him. “Cheerier.”

He scoffed. “Oh, I’m still horrible, don’t worry about that.” He drawled. “Ask the DPD.”

“You always were a brat.” Came a new voice, sharply amused and female. Gavin turned and found his older foster-sister, Meredith.

“Merry,” he greeted, noting that she looked immaculate despite being stuck on an economy flight for a few hours. “Late to greet your favourite sparring partner?”

She looked amused and sat, stealing a sip of his coffee. “You weren’t going anywhere.” She shrugged. “This is good coffee.” She glanced at him. “You still a loser?”

He folded his arms. “Maybe. You still a bitch?”

She grinned, baring her teeth in a Hollywood smile. “Maybe.”

Their mother sighed. “Well, you two haven’t changed.” She grumbled. “Shall we head out, and check into our hotel?” Gavin nodded. “Sure. I took a cab here so no lifts.”

Meredith shook her head, long dark hair moving with the action. Gavin remembered her taking hours straightening it every day. “You still got that beauty of a bike?” she asked, smiling. Her white teeth contrasted with her tanned skin.

Gavin grinned. “Of course. I don’t really need a car when I have my bike.”

His mother frowned. “What about when it’s raining?” she asked, and Gavin knew she had never liked his bike. He shrugged. “I wear my leathers. It’s fine.”

She fretted. “You turn up to work on that thing?”

He nodded, “Sure do.” He shrugged. “Sometimes I get a lift here or there if I need to.”

“Aww, did you finally make a friend?” Meredith snarked as they got their things.

Gavin rolled his eyes. “A whole two friends, actually.” He muttered, pausing

 Fuck it.

“And a boyfriend.” He said as casually as he could.

His mother stared, before beaming so brightly she lit up the arrivals lounge. Gavin cringed.

Rip it off like a band-aid, he told himself.

“You do? Oh Gavin, I’m so happy for you! I’ve been saying you need someone, haven’t I been saying so Merry?”

Meredith nodded dutifully.

“What's his name, what’s he like?” she asked, her eyes bright.

Gavin foundered under the attention.

“Is he hot?” Meredith interrupted, grinning.

Gavin ground his teeth. “His name is Connor. He’s nice.” He said shortly.

Meredith scoffed. “Nice.” She repeated. “Right.”

Gavin scowled. “He _is_ nice.” He growled. “And _yes_ , he’s hot.”

“What does he do, your boy?” his mom asked with a hopeful smile, and Gavin sighed.

“He works at the DPD, with me. He’s a detective and police negotiator.” He admitted.

“Oh, so dangerous!” his mother fretted. “He’s your age?”

Gavin floundered, and then thought of his band-aid analogy again.

“Actually, I think he’s only about two.” He said, shrugging and trying to ignore how his stomach seemed to be trying to digest itself to escape the situation. “He’s an android.”

His mother stared, and Gavin felt The Cringe settling over him.

Meredith laughed. “You got yourself a plastic boyfriend?” she asked, finding this hilarious. “What, couldn’t get a real guy to put up with you?”

She had meant it as a tease, but Gavin scowled. “Shut up. You don’t get what it’s like here, it’s androids _everywhere_ ,” he snapped. “You’ve probably met a few already and didn’t know it. He’s a person, like you or me.” He levelled a glare. “If you call them names or treat them like shit, someone _will_ call your ass out on it.”

Meredith had the good grace to look abashed and nodded. “Sorry,” she murmured.

He shrugged, feeling hypocritical and shitty but knowing he would feel worse if he hadn’t said anything. “Yeah, whatever.” He mumbled, wanting the floor to swallow him up.

His mother had been listening. “So,” She began, and Gavin mentally steeled himself. “You said you think we already met an android? Where? I would like to see one.” She murmured, looking around her like she would suddenly see an android dancing The Robot in a corner.

“They're not a zoo exhibit mom,” he rolled his eyes.

His mother was looking worried over something, and she kept trying to start a sentence and deciding against it.

“Spit it out, mom.” He said to her, exasperated.

She sighed. “How long have you and Connor been together?” she asked.

He hadn’t expected such a normal question.

“Almost a year.” He said, fondness creeping around his heart. “We didn’t get along to begin with, before the revolution. I said some bad stuff to him and he dislocated three of my fingers.” He shrugged, and his mom gasped, looking horrified. “I eventually apologised for being sh- uh, for being an ass to him.” He corrected his language quickly. “And we sort of became friends.”

He paused, remembering.

“I wasn’t feeling too great one day and he was good about it,” he said simply. “He had the biggest crush on me for some reason, and we eventually decided to date.” He said, giving them the short version. He didn’t want to describe his life story.

“He _broke_ your _fingers_?”

“Dislocated.” Gavin corrected. “I uh... I deserved it.” He admitted awkwardly.

Meredith snorted. “You usually do.” She muttered. “Still out there doing cop stuff, getting shouted at by drunks and catching old grannies going three over the speed limit?”

He sneered. “No. I’m still part of homicide.” He grunted. “I’m working with the android crimes unit more now though.” He hurried to explain before He had to listen to them ask. “That’s Connor and Anderson.”

“Oh, that's nice. Well, your sister and her husband have made such good progress this year, haven't you? “ his mother gushed, her eyes warming as Meredith smiled, expression sunny.

“Oh yes.” She said, proud. “We broke even this year. We knew it would be a struggle opening up a new firm, but I think we’ve really-"

Gavin switched off. He was used to it, considering one sister was in the army and doing extremely well there, and the other had opened a law firm with her fiancée, who appeared to be the best person humanity had ever produced. Gavin’s mood soured.

And here he was, just a cop.

Fuck, he was starting to remember why they didn’t speak too often. Every conversation ended up dominated by the achievements of his foster-sisters. Meredith was two years older than him, and Sam was six years younger.

He supposed it was his destiny to be overshadowed. Besides, he felt bad about not caring but he sort of… didn’t. It was exhausting to fake interest all the time.

He got them checked into their hotel, and endured Meredith describing everything great about her life.

There was a long list.

His mood worsened as he listened to them go on during dinner at the hotel restaurant. Everything he said was incorrect in some capacity, even though there was nothing malicious on their part when they corrected him.

He had always blamed himself, in part. No one else seemed to feel this way, so maybe he was just an apathetic and selfish asshole? After all, these people had taken him in and treated him like he was their son, and he didn’t care enough to listen to them talk for hours about their lives. He always got impatient, wanting to be up and doing his own thing rather than trapped listening to anecdotes and making small talk because it was polite. He loved them, he knew he did, but it felt so exhausting to be around people with such boundless, endless social energy. Meredith was a social butterfly, a shining example of an extrovert who channelled her unholy energy into everything she did. She was a diamond woman with a remarkable drive and the brain to back it up. She had always left Gavin in the dust at school, and the fact that he had hated going hadn’t helped. By then he had been bounced around so many schools that it felt pointless to try at this one, because his social worker would be back in a month, his possessions already packed and a tired smile on her face as she tried to find a nice way of saying that he had to move, because they didn’t want him anymore.

No one paid attention to little Gavin Reed, and he wanted them to. If no one knew you, they walked all over you. Gavin refused to be walked over, and reacted in the way scared children do, with his fists. It had worked. He did it again.

Soon his fists got him what he wanted, and it felt good to have people look at you and know who you were, rather than be ‘the weird new kid’ all the time.

In his world, you had to take what you wanted and guard it jealously, because someone _would_ take it from you if you didn’t. It would be lonely at the top, he felt, but better than being crushed into the dirt by someone else on their way up.

No, Gavin Reed was a good as any of these rich kids. What he lacked in (everything) support, he made up for in ruthless ambition.

He would _not_ be left behind.

He had seen other kids fall away and he refused to wash out. He would prove them all fucking wrong, and if he needed to break a few eggs (or noses) to do so, then so be it.

His foster-family had come along just a little too late to save him. Had he been younger, he might have been able to be moulded back into something vaguely resembling a normal kid, but at fourteen and several homes behind him, kind intervention had come far, far too late.

An angry, bitter and lonely teenager had grown into an angry, bitter and lonely man, and Gavin thought it was a goddamn miracle that he hadn’t turned to drink or a quicker way of drowning his feelings. He’d done the binge drinking, and he had done the drugs. He’d done the wild sex with strangers and the bar fights and the stupid shit.

He was too old for that now, he felt. Too tired. Easier just to sit in front of the TV, and drink whiskey until he fell asleep on his cat.

Sometimes he wondered if the skinny little kid with the permanent scowl and the drive to do something fucking great would be ashamed if he saw his future self. He honestly wasn’t sure.

Ruthless ambition only took you so far, and Gavin had stalled out.

Connor had waltzed into his shitshow of a life, turned it upside down without so much as a by-your-leave, and then decided he was going to use those newfound emotions to love Gavin, of all people.

It boggled the mind, and Gavin was still sometimes unsure of how it all happened. He was glad it had, though.

He sighed and tried in vain to tune back into the conversation. He should listen, after all. This was his family and he should give them the courtesy of listening, even if the constant talking made him irritable and annoyed.

He wanted to go home and be alone for a bit, to recharge his social batteries with some goddamn _silence_.

He sighed, and pulled out his phone, the screen unlocking as it scanned his irises.

He quickly typed out a text to Connor and stowed his phone before he could be accused of being ‘anti-social'.

No more than six minutes later, his phone rang. Trying not to look too pleased, he gestured that this was a call he should take and answered, getting up from the table they had been at for the last few hours.

“Hey babe,” he answered, tone tired and frustrated.

“Hello,” Connor said over the line, sounding amused. “Your text asked me to call you and ‘save’ you. I’m not sure what you’re talking about.” He admitted.

Gavin snorted. “I’ve been stuck with my mother and my sister for hours while they talk about how great everyone’s lives are. I don’t think I’ve said a single fucking thing that hasn’t been corrected.” He growled. “I needed an excuse to leave.”

Connor was quiet for a moment. “Oh, how careless of me.” He said without an ounce of sincerity. “I forgot to inform you that there’s a situation here at the station. A crime, of all things.”

Feeling himself smile despite his anger, Gavin snorted. “A crime? What kind?”

“A theft.” Connor said lightly. “I believe you have stolen my heart.”

Gavin felt the bark of laughter escape before he could stifle it. “You little shit,” he grinned. “I suppose I need to come in for questioning?”

He could hear Connors smile. “Of course. If you would kindly head back to your apartment, I’ll be over shortly to arrest you.”

“Gonna do a strip search?” Gavin asked, amused.

“Maybe if you’re good.” Connor said flatly, and Gavin shook his head, feeling his own smile widen on his face.

“Okay, I’ll make my excuses and escape in a bit. Let yourself in, I know you can.”

Connor had the decency to sound a little sheepish. “I would never-"

“I know. I’m giving you permission, dipshit. Feed Francis and Bauble for me?” he asked, hopeful.

“Of course. I’ll see you later.”

Two lies later and Gavin was free, suckered into a promise of having them round for dinner the next day. He resolved to ask Connor if he wanted to come, feeling like he needed the moral support.

He wasn’t sure if he really wanted them to meet, but he also didn’t want to be stuck alone in an argument or worse, The Cringe.

He sighed, seeing his bus come trundling around the corner. Alighting quickly, he hoped he could be home soon. He needed some quiet and a hug from his boyfriend.

Something warm and nice settled in his belly at the thought of being able to have a hug or a kiss without having to justify it, without having to be too tough for such things.

It was no use pretending to Connor, the android knew when he was faking anyway. He sighed, watching the city slip by from the window.

He couldn’t wait to be home, his little overpriced, too-cold-in-the-winter sanctuary.

Stepping through the front door of his shitty little apartment and being greeted by the lights on and the smell of coffee was staggering. It felt like a physical blow, and his chest constricted as he lost his breath. He hadn’t come home to anything but darkness and silence for _years._

He had forgotten what it felt like to come home to someone.

Even when he had been with someone, coming home usually heralded an argument.

Now, he stepped into his living room and found Connor, curled up on the end seat of his sofa with his legs tucked under him and Francis cuddled to his chest. He was watching a nature documentary on the television, and seemed to be narrating for Francis, who was staring at the moving colours like he could pounce on the tropical birds through the screen.

Connor looked up and smiled in greeting, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and Gavin almost fucking cried.

He smiled back, feeling tension slip from his shoulders. He didn’t spare more than a few seconds removing his jacket and shoes, before he was climbing on the sofa with Connor, almost usurping Francis on Connors lap. Amused, Connor put an arm around him and keep the other around Francis.

It must be handy to be functionally ambidextrous, Gavin mused as Connor ran his fingers through his hair. You could pet two things at once.

Heh, _handy._

He let himself be cuddled and _fuck_ he needed affection like he was fucking dog or something. He was a cat person and always would be, but he suddenly understood dogs and their constant desire for affection and love from their humans.

He ended up dozing off after half an hour or so, his head on Connors thighs and his nose pressed against Francis’ velvety shoulders, his arms around his cat even as Connor had his arms around _him._

If the DPD could see him now...

He dozed until Connor gently prodded him awake. “Gavin?” He murmured, “We should go to bed. You will get a sore neck.”

Gavin roused himself somewhat from the warm, safe place he had been in for the last hour. He blinked eyes gritty from his contacts and wrinkled his nose. Connor was looking at him with the softest look, concern and fondness all wrapped into one.

He nodded, levering himself up. “Yeah” he grunted. “Yeah, I’m up.”

Francis gave a croak that was supposed to be a meow and jumped off Connors lap in revenge for the disturbing him.

He stumbled towards the bathroom, and he heard Connor bustling about, preparing for the next day. It was so domestic, his heart hurt.

By the time be flopped into bed, Connor was finishing in the bathroom.

Gavin lay on his side and watched as his lover exiting the bathroom, his sleeping pants hanging low on his hips.

He looked like a walking wet dream, but Gavin really wasn’t in the mood for sex. He just wanted to be close to the man that had given him so much, who meant fucking _everything_ to him.

He shuffled closer as Connor slipped into bed, and the android smiled as they manoeuvred so that Gavin was the little spoon, and Connor had one arm thrown over his hip. He felt the android kiss his shoulder, and his stomach fluttered.

“Night.” He mumbled, feeling awkward for craving such affection. Connor relaxed against him, preparing to enter rest mode.

“Good night, Gavin.” He murmured, voice low. “I love you.”

Gavin mumbled the sentiment back, but he suspected it came out as just a sleepy sound.

He felt Connors arms tighten around him anyway and revelled in the warmth.

He felt like he could burst with affection and smiled as he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update, I was at London MCM comicon all weekend!
> 
> Saw a few good Detroit cosplays, which was nice to see. ^_^


	8. Just Right

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was uploaded from my phone when I realised I posted the wrong chapter for chapter 8, but couldn't be bothered to turn my pc on again at midnight to fix it. 
> 
> Any formatting or grammatical errors can be attributed to this, and the fact that I'm kinda an idiot who doesn't read her work properly before flinging it out into the void of AO3 before immediately going to sleep.

He woke up slowly, each of his senses coming back to reality one by one. He was warm. He was in a comfy bed. He could hear muffled birds and the occasional car. Closer, he heard the sound of fingers tapping on a tablet screen.

  
Blearily opening his eyes, he blinked several times to dislodge the grit from them, and yawned.  
Connor was laying on the bed, dressed already and with his long legs stretched out. He was looking at something on Gavin's tablet, but he glanced down when he felt Gavin move.

  
“Good morning,” he greeted fondly. “Sleep well?”

  
Gavin mumbled something unintelligible in response, but Connor nodded like he had understood anyway.  
He leaned over and kissed Gavin’s mop of bed hair, and absently ran his fingertips over his stubbled jaw.

  
“You really are lovely, you know.” The android murmured, brown eyes drinking him in. Gavin had never felt less deserving of a compliment than right now.

“I am lucky to have such a handsome boyfriend.” The android smiled, sweet.

  
Gavin was pretty sure he had stopped being handsome somewhere after twenty six and a beer bottle to the face, but Connor seemed so sincere.

  
He yawned and rubbed his eyes, feeling the sore grittiness that told him contacts would be a bad idea today. He had worn them for too long yesterday, and he was paying the price now. With a sigh, he wiggled himself over to Connor and flopped onto the androids side.

  
Connor looked bemused, staring down at him. “You have work, today.” he reminded.

  
Gavin grunted, yawning again. “Babe, I don’t wanna do today. Can we fucking skip it?” He asked, grumpy.  
He heard Connor snort softly above him, and the android flicked his finger to turn a page on his tablet.  
“Sadly, we all have to suffer through Thursdays.” He said simply. “Get up and be ready before seven and I’ll have pancakes for you.” He murmured.

  
Gavin stared at him. “What’s the occasion?” he asked suspiciously.

  
Connor even managed to make shrugging look cute. “No occasion. Just felt like spoiling you.”

  
Gavin blushed. “You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you, you prick?” He accused, narrowing his eyes. “You’re being all cute and sappy and shit. Something’s happened, hasn’t it? Did you break my window or something?”

  
Connor laughed, and the action made his boyish face look so unbearably human, Gavin felt his heart ache.  
“No, nothing has happened. I just want to make you feel better.” The android murmured.

  
Gavin sighed, and wrapped his arms around Connors waist, not caring if he was rumpling the androids shirt.

  
“You’re too fucking good for me,” be muttered.  
Connor leaned into his touch. “I don’t think so.” He said, demure. “I think we’re just right.”  
Gavin fell quiet, staying close.

  
Just right.

  
He had never been ‘just right’ before.

  
Optimal.

  
Perfect.

  
Exactly what’s needed.

  
He had never been what someone needed.

  
He'd been wanted before, and had wanted back.  
None of those relationships were built of anything strong enough to keep them together at the first sign of a storm.

  
He honestly didn't know what would happen if he and Connor didn't make it.

  
He really didn't.

  
He didn't want to go back to being alone.

  
To go back to a dark apartment, boring lunches and no one to talk to but his cat.

  
He hugged Connor tight, and the android held him close.

  
Connor made him weak. It was like a part of him was missing, but Connor patched the hole with his presence, making him strong again.

  
That was okay, that android wasn’t going to tell anyone.

  
He snuck a hand over the androids thigh, and squeezed.

  
He wanted to do something good for Connor too, but right now he was working with limited resources.  
Besides, Connor was wearing the dark blue suit today, and Gavin liked the grey one better.

  
Connor glanced down at him. “Gavin?” He asked, bemused.

  
Gavin’s hand crept towards his crotch, and a secretive smile was on his face, half hidden in Connors side.

  
“You’re being bad.” The android admonished, but didn’t move, a small smile on his face.

  
Gavin, feeling affectionate and playful, ran a light touch over his lovers pants, before cupping the area with one hand.

  
He heard Connor take a sudden breath, and grinned as he began his quest to make his boyfriend need to change his suit.

* * *

 

Gavin was feeling awfully smug as he walked in beside Connor, who Gavin thought looked delicious in the grey suit.

  
Eyes dropping to his boyfriends ass, he licked his lips. Yeah, that was his.

  
With a grin, he gave Connor a sloppy kiss on the cheek and a quick pat on the ass before he headed to his own desk.

  
The android, cheeks pink and face exasperated, smiled as he headed for the pod he shared with Hank.

  
Chris and Tina were chatting as he flopped into his chair.

  
Time raised an eyebrow. “You’re chipper.” She said suspiciously. “And you don’t look like you crawled out of a dumpster.”

  
Gavin, mood to good to get upset at the barb, shrugged. “Had a good morning.” He said simply, pressing his palm to the scanner that allowed his computer to boot.

  
Tina nodded with a knowing look. “He fuck you or did you fuck him?” she asked, curious.

  
Chris sighed. “For someone who doesn’t participate, you’re very interested in sex, Tina.”

  
The woman shrugged. “Yeah. Gavin’s kinda hot when he’s not all snarly and looking like shit, and Connor's always fucking gorgeous.” She grinned into her coffee cup. “Can you blame me for being curious about how they fuck?”

  
“Actually, we didn’t have sex.” Gavin said lightly. “We ruined his suit.”

  
Chris made a noise that sounded like he was choking, and Tina cackled. “I know you like the grey one the best.” She grinned.

  
Gavin nodded, feeling giddy and silly. “Yeah, it makes his legs look phenomenal.” He admitted. “He made pancakes for me.”

  
Tina melted. “Aww, you guys are seriously the cutest.”

  
Gavin blinked at her. “I’m not fucking cute.”

  
Chris gave him a look. “Seconded.” He said dryly. “Seriously though, I hope you realise that you and Connor are the DPD’s power couple.”

  
Tina nodded. “You guys are the hot topic in the break room.”

  
Gavin stared. “We are not." He refused. “Who gives a shit about us minding our own business?”

  
“Eighty percent of the DPD.” Tina said simply. “It’s going to be more if you start coming in looking decent for once.” She looked him up and down critically. “Passable.”

  
Gavin scowled. “Fuck off, I’m not a piece of meat.” He snapped, cheer evaporating in the face of his short fuse. “I’m fine.” He hunched himself over, cheeks pink. “Besides, Connor says he thinks I look good.”

  
Tina took pity on him. “Babe, you’re hot when you make the effort.” She assured. “Which I think we all have Connor to thank for that.” She grinned. “You making an effort for him is adorable though.”

  
Gavin scowled again. “I’m not trying to impress him,” he snapped. “I just don’t want to look out of place next to him. Have you seen him? He’s like a fucking magazine cover.” He hissed quietly. “I can fucking feel people staring and wondering how much better he can do.”

  
Chris looked at him with the air of a teacher with a particularly dim witted pupil.

  
“As long as he likes you, do you really give a shit?”

  
Gavin blinked. “Well, no...” He admitted. “But that’s easier said than done.”

  
Tina nodded. “Yeah, that shit sucks. Seriously though, you never cared about what anyone said about you, but now you’re worried that some stranger will think unkind things about you?”

  
Gavin scowled. “No, I just... I don’t want him to wise up.” He snapped.

  
“And leave you?” she completed, and Gavin gripped his mug hard enough to make his knuckles turn white.

  
“Yeah, and fucking leave me.” He snapped, angry. “Eventually that fucking super computer brain of his will decide he’s got his use out of me and find someone better.” He growled, stomach twisting horribly. “No shortage of those out there.” He muttered, derisive as he stood up hard enough to make his chair rock backwards.

  
He stomped off towards the bathrooms, wanting to splash some water on his face, hoping to calm his churning nerves.

  
There were three sets of bathrooms, and he headed for the ones he knew to be the quietest.

  
He braced himself on the sink, breathing deeply and trying to curb the nausea threatening to overwhelm him.

  
His family knew he was a fucking messed up loser, what of everyone else found out too?

  
His shoulders shook, and he screwed his eyes shut.  
He wanted to hit something. He wanted someone to do something stupid so he could let off some steam. He wanted to blow off work and hit the gym, work over a bag until his knuckles were sore.

  
He wanted Connor to hug him, and tell him he loved him.

  
“Fuck,” he bit out, a harsh syllable.

  
The door opened, and his stomach plummeted with surprise and panic. No one should see him like this.  
He quickly fumbled with the tap, and pretended to be washing his hands, keeping his eyes fixed on the swirling water.

  
“Uh, you okay?”

  
He heard Anderson’s voice, and felt anger building up again. “Fucking peachy.” He snarled, moving to push past the older man. “Get the fuck out of my way.”

  
Anderson sighed, looking desperately awkward.  
“You look like shit.” He said simply, and Gavin balled his fists.

  
“And you look like you’re one beer away from an AA meeting.” He snapped, “Now fuck off.”

  
The other man didn’t budge, and Gavin was seriously considering decking him.

  
“Seriously Anderson, I’m not-"

  
“He’s not going to leave you.”

  
Gavin paused, taken aback. Hank ran a hand through his hair, sighing.

  
“I heard what you said to Miller and Chen.” He muttered, awkward. “Connor ain’t gonna leave you. I... I tried to get him to, you know.”

  
Gavin felt cold and angry. Connor adored Hank, of course he would do as the other man wanted.

  
Hank shook his head. “He refused. He got angry with me for trying.” He admitted awkwardly. “Ever since you decided to stop being such a colossal fuckwit, he’s thinking about you.”

  
Hank sounded bitter.

  
“I told him to stay away from you, and he damn near yelled at me.” He said, voice low and guilt eating at every word. “But he still refused. So yeah, he ain’t gonna leave.”

  
Hank fixed Gavin with a stare. “You had better not fucking hurt him, you hear? That kid’s my fucking boy, so make him cry and I’ll kill you.”

  
Hank looked deadly serious, and Gavin felt a flicker of unease in his belly.

  
“I can’t promise I won’t make him cry,” Gavin muttered, “But you can be sure I’ll try my damnedest to fix it if I do.” He looked away, Hank’s intense expression both aggressive and vulnerable.

  
“I... I like having him around.” He said awkwardly. “Dunno what I would do if he left.”

  
Hank stared, and Gavin wanted to be anywhere but in that moment. He would rather be talking to his mother and his sister, for fucks sake.

  
“Does he make you happy?” Hank asked eventually, an odd look on his face.

  
“Yeah.” Gavin bit out, defensive. “So fucking what if he does? You gonna tell me I don’t deserve that? Fuck you, you-"

  
“Good.”

  
Gavin was getting really tired of being interrupted.

  
Hank shuffled, jaw set. “I don’t like you, but he does. I guess that’s something.” He muttered. “He won’t stop talking about how great you are.”

  
Something warm and perfect swelled in Gavin’s chest, flooding his body with soft feelings. Connor was talking about him?

  
“So yeah. He ain’t the type to be flighty, so you’re stuck with him.” Hank snorted. “He got you eating healthy yet?”

  
“I'm allowed one chocolate bar a day,” Gavin admitted blankly. “And he packs my lunch.”

  
Hank barked out a laugh.

  
“Good luck, Reed.” He said simply, covering up an emotional moment with gruff sarcasm. “I... Connor is one in a million, and I know how ironic that is.” He grunted. “Whoever he decided he wanted would be some damned lucky fucker. I guess he could have picked worse.”

  
He stumped away, gruff and with his shoulders hunched.

  
Gavin swallowed, feeling very out of sorts.  
He had no idea how to process that, but it did make him feel a bit better.

  
Connor hadn’t said or done anything to make Gavin believe he would leave him, there was just that nagging feeling Gavin had had for months.

  
Paranoia sucked.

  
Sighing, Gavin scowled at his own reflection.

  
“You stupid fuck.” He muttered. If Connor wanted to leave, Gavin would fight like hell for him but he couldn’t force him to stay.

  
He would just have to make it so that Connor never wanted to leave.

  
He walked back to the bullpen, feeling odd. He bypassed his own desk where Tina and Chris looked at him worriedly, and came to a stop in front of Connor, who looked up and smiled when he saw who it was.

  
Hank was speaking to a tech away from his desk, and that clinched it.

  
“Do you want to go out for lunch?” He asked, hands in his pockets casually, balled into fists that hurt. “Like... the park or something?”

  
Connor beamed. “Yes, I’d love to.” He nodded. They didn’t go on many public dates, something Gavin resolved to change. Connor obviously enjoyed them.  
The android smiled, and Gavin fell in love with him all over again.

  
He stayed for a moment to chat before returning to his desk, and holding up a hand to stall Chris and Tina.

  
“It’s fine.” He said flatly. “I don’t want to talk about it.”  
Chris opened his mouth to press the issue, but he fell quiet at Gavin’s dark look.

  
He didn’t want to talk about it.


	9. "Of course, dipshit. I'd have you forever if I could."

Gavin wasn’t usually a very tactile person. It wasn't something he was used to. A few hugs and touches from his foster-family hadn't quite been able to quiet get rid of the years of isolation and the fiercely independent streak that young Gavin Reed had on him. So, it was awkward, and he didn't like it and his foster-family had soon got the message that he felt deeply uncomfortable with physical affection.

He wasn’t used to it.

So, when Connor took his hand as they were walking, a faint blue blush on his cheeks and his expression shy, Gavin’s first instinct was to pull away.

He didn’t.

The weather was warm and usually that meant holding hands was a no-go, but Connor didn’t sweat, and he didn’t seem to notice or care that Gavin’s hand was clammy and awful.

He felt self-conscious. He hadn’t held anyone’s hand in public since he was in fourteen, and it was honestly throwing him off kilter. He didn’t feel like Gavin, really. He was looking decent for once, having bothered to find things that matched and trimmed his stubble. He was holding hands with his android lover, and he had his glasses on, his contacts having felt too gritty and dry to stomach. Not things Gavin Reed did.

Connor squeezed his hand and gave him a little smile, and his stomach settled.

They found a bench and sat, Gavin not being one to waste anything, had brought the lunch Connor had packed for him. In the beginning, when they were still getting the feel for one another, Connor had been interested to learn he was vegetarian. Gavin had explained that, honestly, he had always liked animals more than people as a kid and had never felt the need to resume eating meat when he became an adult. Connor had informed him that it was ‘cute’, and that he would download some vegetarian meal ideas for him. Gavin smiled, digging into his lunch.

It still made his heart skip a beat when he thought about it. Fucking hell, he was pathetic. How had he grown so domestic and soft? It had crept up on him like an adorable, warm, awful ninja of a feeling. God, he was old now.

They talked, and Gavin found himself listening to Connor recount a stupid incident from one of his previous cases with Hank, grinning at the android’s dry wit and exasperated amusement. He loved hearing Connor talk. The way he spoke was polite and clear, and just a little robotic. It had annoyed him once, and he could remember feeling furious as the android talked, his anger growing with every perfectly pronounced word he said. Now, the sound of his voice lulled him into complacent warmth. Connor had confided to him that he didn’t like how he spoke, and that he was trying hard to speak more fluidly, like a human. It was clearly upsetting the android that he couldn’t seem to do it easily like some androids could, and Gavin had felt oddly pleased at how Connor was failing at something. He felt terrible afterwards, of course, but it was a comforting sign that Connor was not perfect.

He was only  _kind of_  out of Gavin’s league, and he fell off his pedestal just as often as Gavin put him up there.

He spotted something odd as Connor was recalling how one technician had assumed Hank was a client at the Eden Club, and had tried to awkwardly remove him from the crime scene.

There were two men sitting on another bench on the opposite side of the main path. They were hunched over something and talking excitedly. They were holding small paper packets, and both were smiling brightly, examining them in fascination.

They unwrapped their bags, and each brought out a different small pastry, presumably bought from one of the many coffee shops around the park.

He couldn’t help but stare as they inspected the pastries, and he watched them each break the treat in half and offer it to the other, grinning like school children.

They paused and smiled at each other, before one of them held up a finger. Then another, and Gavin realised he was counting to three.

On three, each took a bite, and their reactions were something Gavin would remember for a long time. Their faces turned surprised and then amazed, like the little pastries they tasted were the most amazing things they had ever had.

They began describing them to each other, expressions so utterly delighted and overwhelmed that Gavin melted a little.

Connor had stopped talking to peer at what he was looking at.

“They’re androids,” he said lowly, moving closer to Gavin’s ear. “I think they’re testing out their taste sensors.”

He smiled, and Gavin watched the two androids sitting close, sharing their excitement with each other. They talked with their hands and looked as though the feeling of tasting something nice for the first time was the best thing that had ever happened to them.

Maybe it was.

Connor bumped his shoulder with his own, and Gavin glanced at him.

“It’s cute,” Gavin grunted, flushing. “Shut up."

“I think I looked like that the first time I tried food too.”  Connor murmured. “Or the first time I kissed you.”

Gavin flushed a deeper pink.

“Fuck, don’t say shit like that.” He muttered, feeling awkward and hunching in into his jacket like an awkward, red faced tortoise. Connor tilted his head.

“Why not? It’s true, and it makes you blush. I enjoy it when you blush.”

Gavin blushed harder. “Fuck off.” He mumbled, hunching his shoulders.

Connor seemed to regard him for a moment, before he tapped Gavin’s shoulder. Confused and not a little embarrassed, Gavin looked up and suddenly Connor was kissing him.

The android had one hand on his jaw, keeping him gently in place. The kiss wasn’t indecent by any means, but it was sweet and intense, and Gavin felt himself relax into it, warmth igniting in his belly.

He kissed back, one hand coming up to fist Connors shirt. Connor tasted like mint from the gum he must have had earlier, and faintly like new plastic.

He was kissing in the park like a fucking teenager or a figure in the shitty romcoms that he totally never watched when he was bored.

Fuck, but Connor made him feel new again.

Made him feel like he should have had the world not taken a great big shit on the life of Gavin Reed.

Every touch was cleansing, turning him into someone decent enough to be with Connor.

The kiss ended but they stayed close, Connors hand on his cheek.

His hand was big and warm and slightly rough on the tips of his fingers, and Gavin leaned into his touch. It was embarrassing how quickly Gavin had come to crave that touch.

Connor's expression was serious, but his eyes were soft, and Gavin felt awkward under such intense scrutiny.

“Thank you.”

Gavin blinked. He hadn’t expected to hear that come out of the android’s mouth. What the fuck did Connor think he was thanking him for?

His confusion must have shown on his face, because Connor closed his eyes and rested their foreheads together.

“You make me feel real.” He whispered, and the warm air was shifted by a breeze that ruffled the leaves in the trees.

 _Oh_.

“Connor...”

The android pulled back, doe eyes expressive. “I always found being Deviant harder than everyone else seemed to. I like things... ordered. Planned.” He murmured, as though he was ashamed. Gavin didn’t want him to feel that way. “I like having tasks to complete and when things make logical sense. I know that annoys people, but I can’t help it. I feel… unnerved, when things are out of place. When things do not follow a set plan. You seem like you appreciate that when I do it.” He said shyly. “Like Hank, but even he complains. You don’t-“ he paused, apparently having trouble finding the right words. He looked frustrated, and Gavin wasn’t breathing.

“Hank told me what he said to you today.” He admitted, and Gavin wanted the ground to swallow him up. “I  _want_  to keep waking up next to you. I  _want_  to keep making your lunch and watching the movies you think I’ll like, and having sex with you, and going out with our friends and-“ he bit his lip. “And being part of your life.”

Doe eyes looked hopeful.

“If you’ll have me.”

Gavin had to swallow, and he felt heavy like a bowling ball and light enough to float, a twisting and elated nervous feeling.

He looked at Connor, really looked at him.

The android wasn’t human. He wasn’t  _trying_  to be human.

Big brown eyes looked at him with hope and shyness and care, and Gavin found that he didn’t give a  _shit_  if the person looking at him like that wasn’t born but made.

Gavin had always been a shell of a person, he believed. He was horrible and that was fine because no one gave a shit about him so why should he try and be nice? He was angry, and he was a fucking emotional mess, and no one ever stuck around for too long because who would want to? It hurt when they left, so if he was aggressive and standoffish, there would be no-one _to_ leave him.

Connor wanted to stay.

He wondered If it was because everyone else had seen Good Gavin first, and been gradually disappointed when he began getting comfortable and letting them see the shitshow he really was.

Connor had first experienced him at his absolute worst, and of course you could only go  _up_  from there.

Really, it boiled down to a simple fact.

Connor made him  _happy_.

According to Connor, Gavin made him happy too.

Gavin breathed in a shaky breath.

“Of course, dipshit.” He breathed, voice shaking ever so slightly. He managed an emotional little smile. “I'd have you forever if I could.”

“You can. I’ve made my choice. I want  _you_.” Connor said, simple and honest.

Gavin didn’t know what he could say to that that wasn’t awkward swearing and almost tears, so he awkwardly put his arm around the android and held him close. Connor had to lean over quite a bit considering how much taller he was, but it worked.

Gavin tried to commit this perfection to memory, the smell of the grass, the feeling of sun and breeze, the warmth and weight of Connor leaning against him and the scent of his hair. Gavin smiled, and Connor gently rested his head against Gavin’s temple.

He hadn’t felt this good in... well, ever.

They sat and watched the world go by until their lunch break was over, before Connor reluctantly pulled away and pulled him up, not eager to test the DPDs patience by taking more time than allowed.

Gavin felt almost like a new man when he walked into the bullpen, feeling light and positively giddy.

His good mood lasted until he clocked out and remembered that his mother and sister would be coming around for dinner.

They would meet Connor.

It  _should_ be fine, because as annoying as his family was, they were decent people.

Connor was an angel made of plastic and wires.

Connor could also be very protective and, dare Gavin say it, bitchy.

His sister was the Alpha Bitch, and if she decided she didn’t like Connor, or Connor misinterpreted her ribbing as bullying...

Gavin started to feel nerves claw at his belly.

He forced them down ruthlessly, deciding instead to focus on what he was going to cook.

He was a decent cook when he had the time, and he had manoeuvred shifts so that he clocked off at three, giving him more than enough time.

He sighed and headed for the parking lot where his beloved bike was propped. He always wore his leathers and helmet after a nasty fall when he was in his twenties, which had given him a permanently dented knee, scars on his back and a new appreciation for  _not_  sliding across hot asphalt in nothing but a t-shirt.

He felt boiling hot and thought happy thoughts of a cold shower as he headed for his apartment. It helped that Connor thought him in full biking leathers was sexy, which was a plus.

A few kids watched as he idled at an intersection, longing looks on their young faces. They stared at his bike, naked appreciated on their young faces and brazenly pointing in a way only children can get away with. Feeling cheeky, he gave them a wave and gunned the engine a little, and they looked delighted. Their mother, less so.

Pulling away with a little more noise than necessary, he hoped he had inspired some future generation to stick their middle fingers up at safe and boring cars. Bikes were  _cool._

He got home, jumped straight in the shower and somehow got motivated somewhere along the way.

He was going to make the best fucking dinner ever, how would impress his stupid fucking family and way-out-of-his-league-hot boyfriend and Gavin Motherfucking Reed was gonna be a damn superstar, for one fucking night only.

Pumped up and ready to cook, he pulled a knife out of the block with a flounce he was copying from the cookery programmes Connor liked, and began.

He chopped, he diced, he folded, he stirred, and he boiled.

When he was done, his little apartment smelled amazing.

Roasted cauliflower and hazelnut carbonara.

Hell fucking  _yes_.

He had even gone and bought fancy ass garlic bread, some wine and Connor was promising to handle desert.

He had, of course, meticulously gone over this plan with Connor, who had been supportive.

Gavin snorted as he checked the bread in the oven. Like Connor was  _ever_  anything but supportive.

Half an hour late (which was really exactly when he wanted them to turn up because this  _always_  happened), his doorbell rang, and he quickly shoved the apron he would never admit to wearing onto the back of the door, and went to let his family in.

Sure enough, his mother and his sister were waiting. His mother was peering at everything she could see from the hallway, while his sister was on her phone.

Nerves tickling his belly, he invited them in.

“Oh, you’re taking care of the place! Well  _done_.” his mom said admiringly as she looked around, and Gavin barely suppressed a roll of the eyes. Implying that he couldn’t was insulting, and people speaking to him like he was a child never put him in a good mood.

He gave a slightly mechanical smile. “Yep, it’s like I’m an adult and everything.” He said lightly, ushering them in and heading back to the kitchen.

“Want a drink?” He offered to be nice. “Connor should be here soon.”

Indeed, the android had texted him only twenty minutes prior, meaning he should be only another twenty before he was home.

Home.

He supposed his shitty little apartment had become that, sometime when he wasn’t looking.

It was probably when Connor started spending all his time there, barely sleeping at his own flat any more.

Warmth spreading from his chest to his fingertips made him smile, and he got water for the two women in his living room.

“You two hungry? I made a lot of food.” He admitted.

Meredith sniffed the air. “Smells good. What is it?”

Gavin rattled off his dish with a small amount of pride, before noticing that Meredith was looking awkward.

“What?” he asked, frowning.

“It’s got dairy in it, doesn’t it?” she asked, sheepish. “I’m vegan.”

Gavin stared. “You’re kidding me.” He said flatly. “You’ve never been vegan.”

She shrugged, cheeks pink. “Jason is vegan. He says is a lifestyle, not a diet.” She said as though reciting from a book.

Gavin ground his teeth.

“Right. Let me get Connor to pick you up a carrot or something.” He grunted, nails digging into his palms.

Could he seriously not do anything right?

Sighing, he typed out a quick text to his boyfriend and went to check on the food.

Almost done.

He sighed again. Why did nothing go right?

Vegan. Fucking  _vegan_.

He didn’t really give a shit what people ate (and it would have been hypocritical if he did), but he would have appreciated a heads up.

Or  _any_  kind of mention.

Grinding his teeth, he occupied his hands with washing a few stray pans while he waited for Connor.

He could hear Meredith talking about how Jason was such a strict vegan and how he was so enlightened, he ran nine miles every morning before seven.

Fuck off did he.

Gavin rolled his eyes. Jason also apparently donated to animal charities and volunteered on the weekends. He also, in addition to being a massively successful private lawyer, did a decent side trade as a lifestyle columnist online.

Of course he did.

Fuck Jason.

Gavin heard keys in the door and had visions of running to his boyfriend and leaping into his arms.

He didn’t quite go that far, but he did move to intercept Connor before his family got their claws into him.

The android looked bemused and sympathetic as he wordlessly handed Gavin a paper bag full of shopping. Gavin spotted ingredients for a stir fry and could have  _hugged_  Connor right then.

“I found dessert.” The android said lowly, gesturing to the bag. “Key lime pie is not too exciting, but it’s safe enough.” He smiled, patting Gavin on the shoulder. “I found a little vegan one too, for your sister.”

He looked at Gavin with an amused, faintly sympathetic look as he took in his boyfriends agitated, lost looking expression. Gavin felt like he wanted to say ‘fuck it all’ and order pizza.

Connor gave him a small pat on the shoulder. “Go. I’ll introduce myself and keep them busy until you’re done.” He offered.

Screw hugging, Gavin was ready to drop to his knees and yank Connor's pants off for a thorough thank-you.

“Thanks babe,” he said instead, his smile coming out more harried than he wanted. “Good luck.”

Amused and a little disbelieving, Connor squared his shoulders and headed for the living room.

Gavin watched him go, eyes lingering on the grey suit.

Feeling a little better, he threw what he needed together, and fifteen minutes later there was stir fry.

“It’s ready!” He called and set everything out. He supposed at least he could have leftovers now, considering he had now made  _two_  meals.

Fucking  _vegan_.

He heard shuffling and his family entered, their faces set in the brand of wide-eyed and dazed that told him that they had met Connor.

The android followed them, having removed his jacket. Gavin watched how his shirt stretched over his shoulders, and how his slim waist was accentuated by the cut of his suit.

He grinned as Connor sidled up to him and slipped an arm around his waist, pressing a chaste kiss to his temple. Gavin pretended not to see his mother watching them out of the corner of her eye and leaned into Connors touch. Connor was a calming figure, radiating a kind of placid stability that Gavin sorely needed.

He wasn’t sure what Connor got in return.

Dinner was fucking  _awkward._

Meredith coped with awkwardness by filling the air with increasingly sharp-tongued jokes about people she knew, while his mother would say things that made Gavin cringe. It wasn’t malicious, none of it was, but it was ignorant.

He wondered what was worse, his own past aggression, or his mother’s innocent ignorance. She kept referring to androids as ‘robots’, which had become a somewhat derogatory term in the wake of android sentience. Gavin winced every time she did so.

It was more frustrating than anything, seeing her stare at Connor and curiously watching him eat like he was behind glass.

Connor, bless his artificial heart, was valiantly pretending not to notice.

Gavin wanted to fucking die.

“So...” His mother began, fiddling with her fork. She barely looked at Gavin. “How did you two meet?”

Connor smiled at her and Gavin felt a vindictive kind of pleasure as he saw her cheeks go pink with embarrassment at being caught.

“For the first time, it was at the precinct.” Connor admitted. “We did not get on.”

Gavin laughed self-consciously, hoping Connor would edit the story at least a little.

“We ended up having a rather public disagreement, after which Gavin apologised to me.” He smiled fondly. “We became friends. He helped me experience new things, like chocolate and bad sci-fi movies.” He teased gently, and Gavin felt himself go pink. “We decided to try dating, and here we are.”

Way oversimplified, but Gavin was thankful for the edits. His foster-mother didn’t need to know  _everything_.

They talked for a while, and Gavin felt himself slowly relaxing as nothing cringeworthy happened.

Slowly, conversation drifted towards slightly more personal questions, which Connor answered dutifully. Gavin was mostly ignored, and he felt both hurt and relieved. It was an odd feeling.

“What about you?” Connor asked Meredith pleasantly, ignoring how Gavin’s mother watched him take a drink of water, fascinated. Connor hated the taste of wine. “How did you meet your fiancé?”

Gavin felt his stomach drop as he watched them light up.

No one ever lit up when talking about him.

Well, maybe Connor did. He couldn’t imagine why.

The conversation was then dominated by talk of the illustrious Jason, and then drifted towards Meredith and Sam. He sighed, recalling feelings of inadequacy and hopeless resignation. He tried to squash them, feeling guilty about having such feelings about the people who had given him a family. He was grateful to them, and that meant he shouldn’t think badly of them. It was hard.

“Did you know that Gavin cracked a big case a few months ago?” Connor said with banality that made Gavin wince. “He caught a budding serial killer. It took weeks of dedication and overtime, but you managed it, didn’t you?” He said with a smile, his eyes on Gavin. “You brought justice to those people, and I believe one of the papers wanted to post a column on it.” He said with obvious pride. Gavin squirmed in his seat, secretly over the fucking moon with pride. He knew he had done well. He knew he was damn good at his job, it just didn’t feel like that was  _enough_.

“That’s nice.” his mother smiled vaguely, and he felt his stomach twist and his heart hurt. “I was reading about a detective least week actually, back in 2026. Youngest female police captain in history! Top scores in everything and-"

Gavin sighed. His mother meant no harm, and he knew she found these articles about incredible people very inspiring.

He knew he would never be in one.

He was depressingly ordinary, and he wished that would be enough. He had no doubt she was proud of him in her own way, but he also was very aware that he wasn’t as meteoric as her blood children. Or the people in her biographies.

He felt like maybe he was a slightly disappointing project. An angry, violent, fucked up kid ended up as an angry, violent, fucked up but mostly functional adult member of society.

As she went on, Connor found his hand under the table and squeezed.

Gavin was feeling wrung out and frustrated as he was talked over or shushed or corrected.

 _Nothing_  he said was right, not even the year the wine was made.

_“Actually, that’s year it was bottled. It's a common misconception. If you want to find out the year it was made then-"_

_“The DPD was actually established in 1861, Gavin. Some detective you are!”_

_“Actually Gavin, I read that inter-species marriage is being talked about being legalised, so I wouldn't complain if I were you!”_

_“Actually, I would describe that colour as charcoal, rather than just grey.”_

_“Actually, the traffic wasn’t so bad getting here. You should leave more time for your journeys, and check the news before you leave, you know.”_

Actually, actually, actually.

He practically raced to clear the dishes away, finding refuge in the kitchen. He sighed and shook his hair from his eyes.

The wrong side of thirty-five, and still a fucking loser.

He felt guilty for feeling so frustrated. Other people had it way worse, and here he was, annoyed because he was being corrected all the time? Pathetic. He should just suck it up, put on a smile and nod every time he got a lecture. They weren’t being malicious, just cleverer than he was.

_C'mon idiot, suck it up and stop being such a whiny, miserable bitch._

Warm hands settled themselves on his hips, and he didn’t need to turn around to know it was Connor, looking sweetly concerned over him.

He felt selfish, keeping Connor like this. Connor was extraordinary, and he was staying with  _him_.

He pushed those thoughts from his head, turning to smile tiredly at his lover.

“Hey,” he greeted quietly, sighing. He could feel Connor's warmth through the material of his shirt as the android pressed close. Connor rested his chin on Gavin’s shoulder and hugged him from behind. He smelled like sandalwood and warm vanilla, from the cologne he liked.

“Just a little more.” The android murmured. “Just an hour or so and then they can leave. Then we can clean up and have an early night.” He heard the smile settle in Connors tone. “And we can have sex until we can’t move, before we fall asleep. Then we’ll do it all again in the morning, before having a shower and going to work. Would that make you feel better?”

Gavin grinned, sighing and feeling tension bleed from his body.

“You’re the most perfect fucking man, you know that?”

“Because I have sex with you?”

Gavin snorted. “That gains you a few points, yeah.” He snickered. “Seriously though, you’re amazing and I dunno what I did to get so lucky.”

Connor gave him a squeeze. “You seem to think that I gain nothing from our relationship. I can assure you, I find you as wonderful and you seem to find me.”

Gavin shifted in his arms so that they were face to face. Connor was blushing a sweet blue and Gavin was overtaken by the same urge to cuddle as he was when Francis jumped on him.

“Fuck,” he breathed, looking into his lover’s soft brown eyes. The feeling in his belly was overwhelming. “I love you.”

Connor smiled, and his eyes crinkled at the corners. Gavin thought he was gorgeous all the time, but he was positively angelic when he smiled like that.

Like Gavin was his whole world at that moment.

Gavin leaned in and kissed him, gently tugging on the back of his neck so he didn’t have to lean up.

It was no longer novel, kissing an android.

It felt as natural as breathing, and he didn’t remember when he stopped comparing past human kisses with Connors. The odd texture of his skin and the faint taste of plastic didn’t feel different, but comforting.

Gavin felt warm and wanted, and call him selfish, but he wasn’t going to trade that feeling just because he wanted an outlet for his anger.

Connor  _loved_  him.

Gavin eventually dislodged himself from Connor, the android not wanting to let go.

“They’ll think we got lost or something,” he mumbled, glancing at Connor. “We should get back. Bring the glasses?”

Connor, looking a little pouty (and didn’t Gavin think  _that_  was the funniest thing), did as he was asked.

They made awkward small talk for an hour, before Gavin subtly hinted that it was time to go. His sister picked up on his hints even if his mother didn’t, and she gave him a wink and stood up from the table. Gavin and Connor followed suit.

“C'mon mom, let’s leave poor Gav to clean up.” She grinned. “This was nice Gav, thanks.” She said, meaning it.

Gavin felt awkward and shrugged. He had never been able to take compliments well. “Sure,” he managed. “No problem.”

Meredith gave him a look which he ignored and turned to Connor. “It was really nice to meet you,” she said, smiling. “I don’t know what you see in this loser, but he looks happy. So yeah, thanks for putting up with him.”

Gavin scowled and opened his mouth to respond, but Connor beat him to it.

“I see a lot of things in him.” The android said simply. “Things I like. I’m glad I seem to make him happy. He makes me happy too.”

Gavin’s mother smiled and bundled Gavin into a hug. To Connors surprise, she quickly did the same to him.

When he had been released, she smiled at them both.

“Gavin, I’m so glad you’re happy.” She said simply, “It was lovely meeting you, Connor.”

Connor inclined his head, a small smile playing about his mouth.

“It was a pleasure meeting both of you, too. I hope you have a pleasant journey home.”

After another few minutes of hugs and pleasantries, the apartment was finally quiet again.

Gavin stood still for a moment, before he exhaled loudly and flopped on the sofa, legs splayed out and his head tipped back.

Connor smiled and leaned over him. “I see your point.” The android said simply.

Gavin groaned. “I love them. I fucking do, but I’ll be damned if they aren’t hard work.”

Connor nodded, and held out a hand. “Come on.” He said lowly, and Gavin blinked at him dumbly.

Connor gave him a look. “I believe we had plans for tonight, yes?” He prompted. “As I believe Tina would say, ‘plans of the naked variety’.”

Gavin gave him a small, tired grin.

“I know I agreed to rough and wild, but do you think we could save that for tomorrow morning?” He asked hopefully. “I’m beat, and I’m up for something quiet.”

Connor laughed softly, and grabbed his hand, pulling a floppy Gavin to his feet. “Gavin, you know I’m never quiet.”

Gavin couldn’t help but grin, slipping an arm around Connor and sliding his hand into the androids back pocket.

“C'mon then dipshit, let’s tidy up and head to bed. I want to thank for you properly.”

Gavin felt flattered when he saw Connor blush blue and look eager. He had to laugh when the android tugged his arm in an attempt to get him moving faster.

When they finally tumbled into bed, Gavin couldn’t help but stare.

He was tired and drained, and Connor was looking at him like he was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen. The android was a walking wet dream (specifically Gavin's), but he was biting his lip and running his eyes over him like he was the one who was lucky.

Gavin knew he was in decent shape, he worked out and didn’t eat too badly. Still, he was a bit battered and certainly didn’t hold a candle to Connor.

Still, the android lavished attention on him like it was a privilege, but Gavin couldn’t help but feel sexy and wanted as Connor gasped and moaned his appreciation when Gavin returned the favour. He was driven by a desire to pour all his feelings of thanks into his task and resolved to have Connor melt into a damned puddle by the time he was done.

He got his wish, watching with adoring eyes and a warm heart as Connor trembled under his hands and breathed out, curling up a little to protect damp, sensitive synth-skin from the cool air.

Gavin kissed his neck, feeling the odd sensation of hard struts and a few wires close to the surface. He didn’t mind that any more. He ran his fingers over Connors temple, tracing a circle around the rim of his LED. It glowed a pleasant, constant blue, and Gavin fantasised about those edges letting him see into Connors core, glowing blue and beautiful.

He trailed his fingers over the back of his neck, feeling the bump where his data port was. It was almost seamless, but the small port was covered with a section of plastic shell and skin to hide it. He felt Connor shiver and was aware those brown eyes were staring at him curiously, but he was too foggy-headed to care.

He teased his fingers over each of the androids features, cataloguing the differences from a human.

He didn’t twitch involuntarily when Gavin brushed his fingertips near his eye, just letting the human explore. He knew those eyes were glass and plastic, but it was their owner that gave them life, not what they were made from.

His flesh felt firmer than a human’s, designed to protect delicate internal workings from bumps and knocks. His skin was very insensitive unless one found particular spots where sensors were close to the surface, and Gavin found that he didn’t mind that. It made finding those areas that much more rewarding, an he made it into a game to see how many he could stimulate at once. So far, his record was three.

His tongue was human enough, except that he produced the analytic fluid that doubled as saliva at an increased rate, meaning blowjobs from Connor were the best blowjobs, in Gavin’s opinion. He was grateful that the stuff wasn’t Thirium based, as he couldn’t imagine giving up kisses.

Areas where human’s would have their bones close to the surface, like knees or elbows, were hard and unforgiving metal. Getting kneed in the crotch when they were tussling on the sofa had _not_ been a fun experience, no matter how apologetic Connor had been.

He brushed his thumb over his lovers’ bottom lip, feeling how soft it was.

His fingertips were rougher in comparison to the rest of his skin, the sensors in their ends making the skin slightly raised. His hips were narrow and sharp, and his legs went on forever. He was slender, but Gavin wouldn’t describe him as skinny.

His thighs were shapely, and Gavin could only describe his backside as ‘plump’. He kneaded firm synthetic flesh, and Connor pressed closer as he enjoyed the attention. Someone at Cyberlife was a horny pervert, to give an investigative model the face of an angel and the body of a pornstar. Or so Gavin thought.

If Gavin pressed hard enough on the skin of his chest, he could feel the release for Connors Thirium pump, the thing that kept his android alive.

His heart, for want of a better word.

He had always been utterly fascinated by Connors odd triple heartbeat and listened any time he could.

Thump thump-thump.

Thump thump-thump.

It had weirded him out at first, but now he relished the sound.

He didn’t protest when Connor explored him right back, synthetic fingers ghosting over warm human skin. Connor preferred to explore with his mouth, and soon Gavin’s thoughts were hazy and muddled as the android mouthed over the softer skin of his inner thigh, a spot that Connor seemed to like on him.

He felt warm and docile and didn’t complain when he felt Connors fingers gently ready him, and merely arched his back and curled his toes, chasing Connors mouth for kisses.

He was a man on stage, acting out a part that he had been one with for years.

That fell away around Connor, and he let the android see him as no one else would.

When his legs were hooked around Connors waist and he drowned himself in sweet kisses, he felt his heart swell with affection. He moaned.

He liked seeing Connor with messy hair and ran his fingers through it as his lover mouthed over his clavicle. The android was warm, his core temperature naturally a few degrees higher than a human. Of all the differences between them, Gavin liked that one the most.

Later, they were clean and dry, and Connor had his arms around him, their legs tangled together and heartbeats calm.

Connor was gently playing with his hair, and Gavin felt shivers run down his spine every now and then at the feeling.

“For the record,” Connor whispered, voice lazy and low. “I like you just as you are.”

He pressed a kiss to Gavin’s shoulder, and snuggled up to his back, arms wrapping around his human companion.

Gavin, safe and warm and overwhelmed with affection, slept soundly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone fancies trying out the meal Gavin makes in this chapter, the recipe is here:
> 
> https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/roasted-cauliflower-hazelnut-carbonara
> 
> It's really good! I'm not veggie myself, but that's no reason not to try out a load of good food. ^_^


	10. The Luckiest Man on Planet Earth

His dreams turned hazy and hot, colours blurring to blush and the colour of Connors skin.

They were having sex, and Connor was on top of him, completely wild and biting his lip like he knew how wicked he was.

Gavin hadn’t had dreams like that in ages, but it was so vivid and realistic that Gavin could have reached out and touched Connors arms where the braced him on either side of his head.

The android ground his hips in a slow circle and dream-him fucking _whimpered_. He was fucking himself on Gavin at his own pace, using his human lover as a glorified sex toy.

It was _hot._

So he was displeased when he felt the dream start to fade as something woke him up.

He came to, annoyed and grouchy, sensations filtering in one by one.

He was cold, and there was breeze on his skin. He could smell something sweet and slightly cloying, and dimly recognised the scent of the blueberry lube Connor liked.

There was a warm, wet, _wonderful_ feeling encompassing his nether regions, and he sucked in a gasp of air when that feeling revealed itself to be a unbelievably hot, messy blowjob.

He eyes were gritty with sleep but he stared, propped up on his elbows to look down the length of his body at where Connor was nestled between his thighs, going to town. The android looked up playfully through his eyelashes and the look was so devastating, Gavin hitched a breath.

“Fuck,” be bit out, the feelings sending electric tingles through his sleepy body. “Oh _fuck.”_

He tipped his head back, groaning and gripping the sheets under his hands. “Good morning to you too, babe.” He gasped, a grin working itself onto his face.

Connor’s eyes crinkled with humour as he kept going, his nose pressed against Gavin’s belly and not batting an eyelid as his lovers hips gave a small, involuntary thrust up into his mouth.

“Babe, I’m not gonna last with you doing that.” Gavin managed to mutter, one hand winding into Connors hair.

The android blinked at him so innocently, any jury would have convicted him on the look alone. He didn't stop, and laid a warm, rough hand on Gavin's hip.

“Connor, I’m gonna-"

Connor pulled off him with an obscene sound, one that had heat pooling in his belly.

The sudden lack of sensation was confusing to his body, leaving him on edge and disappointed.

“Babe, what the fuck.” He growled, watching Connor wipe his mouth with the back of his hand.

Connor crawled close, his body giving off heat. Gavin could feel it radiating from him, and wondered if Connor's internal cooling systems were all working properly. His eyebrows rose when Connor bit his lip, hair a gorgeous mess of waves where Gavin had run his fingers through it, and held up Gavin’s police issued handcuffs as they dangled from one finger.

Gavin felt his throat go dry, and any lingering annoyance dissipate immediately.

He studied Connor and decided that based on how Connor was looking at him, all bashful and hopeful and mischievous, the handcuffs were not for him.

He quickly plucked them from Connors finger and snapped one around the androids slim wrist, tugging Connor into place roughly, feeling eager.

The android went willingly, and it was a turn on to know that if Connor didn’t want to go, he could get out easily.

He was _letting_ Gavin manhandle him.

That was so hot.

Manoeuvring Connor onto his stomach was easy, and Gavin straddled his back as he worked to secure Connors wrists around the metal posts at the head of his bed. He ground his arousal against the small of his lovers back, desperate for some kind of friction.

He rolled off and drank in the sight before him. Connor was cuffed to the bed, hair a mess and eyes half lidded as he put on a show for Gavin, tempting him.

As if Gavin needed tempting. Connor was a damned tease.

His arms and chest were flush with the bed, messy sheets making him look half debauched already. His hips were in the air, knees digging into the mattress and legs spread as his back fell into a sinful arch.

He was shameless, and Gavin couldn’t believe such utter perfection was _his._

Connor shifted his hips, a small smile playing about his mouth.

“Are you going to stare all morning, Gavin?” He asked, daring. “Or are you going to come over here and indulge me?”

Gavin swallowed thickly, walking on shaky legs to stand behind his lover. He was still dreaming, Gavin was sure.

Almost in awe, he ran his hands over Connor’s warm skin, the lines of lean, subtle synthetic muscle of his shoulders that led to his hips, and then the firm, shapely backside that Gavin could touch all day. He could get a stress ball moulded of this ass, to squeeze whenever he got pissed.

He fondled and touched, ghosting his fingers over the artificial knobs of Connor's spine. His hand dipped low and came back smelling sweet, and he realised he knew the source of the scent of blueberry lube.

“You planned this.” Gavin muttered, and Connor gave a full body shiver as Gavin’s questing fingers made him twitch.

“I might have.” He mumbled, half muffled. He let out a long, low breath and shifted his hips in a way that made Gavin want to abandon his teasing and just stick it in him.

He snorted, amused by Connor's admittance.

“Of course you did, you little shit.” he grunted, curling his index and pointer fingers and relishing how Connor shivered at the feeling, a small noise falling from his mouth. “You knew exactly what you wanted, didn’t you? You want me to screw you _hard_.” He growled, the hand that wasn’t occupied coming up to wind in Connors hair and tug his head back roughly, his back arching again.

Connor moaned breathily, not saying a word. Gavin didn’t need him to.

“I bet you thought about this all night, while I was asleep.” He muttered, mouth brushing Connor's ear. “You want me to fuck you so hard you can’t walk afterwards; you want to _feel_ it as I use you, yeah?”

Connor nodded and closed his eyes with another moan, and Gavin grinned. He loved it when Connor got like this.

The android knew exactly what he wanted when he got in a particular mood, and Gavin found the forwardness to be seriously hot. Whether he wanted to be fucked within an inch of his life, have Gavin on his knees for him or even just to cuddle, Connor had no compulsions about going after what he wanted.

There were few things sexier, in his personal opinion, than someone being into some kinky, wild shit and _owning_ it.

Already in the headspace for it, he had no problem indulging him. Connor wanted rough and hard, so Gavin would _ruin_ him.

Excited and eager, he growled all those promises into his lovers ear and felt Connor shiver.

He pushed Connors shoulders down and the android went willingly, and he made a tempting sight laid out face down and ass up on the bed.

When they were in the middle of it, Gavin fucking Connor into the mattress with reckless abandon and Connor gasping out encouragement and orders, Gavin decided that this was where he wanted to be. Forever, if he could.

Without stopping the brutal pace he had set, he leaned over and grazed his teeth over the androids shoulder.

“You’re so fucking perfect,” he grunted, fingers leaving blue bruises on Connors hips. “So hot and filthy and perfect.”

Connor let out a ragged, breathy moan. “You’re not s-s-so bad yours-s-self,” he managed, his vocal processor glitching as he tried to speak. Gavin hit a spot inside him and he fucking _keened_ , tensing and gripping the sheets where he could reach them. The rhythmic sound of flesh on flesh mixed with the metallic jingle of the handcuffs was driving Gavin mad in the best way and be doubled down to drive into his lover harder.

If it had been anyone else, he would have been worried about seriously hurting them like this. Connor was an android and could take punishment like no human could, and he was perfectly capable of telling Gavin to stop or change pace. It was a liberating feeling, being able to trust his partner to tell him things, and not be expected to just _know_.

It was carefree and so much more intense when he wasn’t the one making all the calls, hoping he got it right.

“Gavin, right th-there-" Connor muttered into the sheets. “Y-yes, _please_...”

Unable to stop himself, Gavin grinned and gripped Connors hips hard enough to bruise.

He didn’t look like the put-together, ever professional detective that he usually was. Here, naked and moaning with a man fucking him silly and cuffs around his wrists, he looked downright _slutty._

Gavin let those thoughts run away with him because they were _hot_ and Connor was a fucking wet-dream in his bed.

Connor grunted something Gavin couldn’t make out and pushed his hips further back. The angle shifted a little and Connor swore and bit his lip so hard that Gavin thought he would be tasting Thirium the next time they kissed.

He was overheating and could feel he sweat building on his brow and running down his back, his breathing becoming laboured and harsh. Connor was a mess, slick smearing his thighs and body growing trembly with overstimulation.

“Gavin, I th-think I’m going t-t-to-" he cut himself off with a moan as Gavin gripped his hips and pulled him back to meet him as he thrust in. Gavin felt Connor clench and tighten as he slipped over the edge, the feeling of his hot, slick body pulling Gavin with him. Gavin felt his whole body seize up, electric tingles running to every nerve ending and leaving aftershocks in their wake. His mind went haywire was his thoughts turned to blank nonsense, his hips stuttering as he came, buried deep in his lover.

It was so intense Gavin had to fight himself to stay upright and not flop over Connor and lay there, twitching. Instead his fingers dug into synthetic flesh and he was dimly aware of Connor going limp underneath him. The movement caused him to involuntarily pull out, the cold air making him hunch over a little and come back to earth. He panted, legs trembling and unsteady.

Clumsily, he tottered sideways and flopped on the bed, noting how Connor’s ass and thighs were smeared with slick and Gavin’s come was slowly dripping out of him.

Fuck, that was _hot_.

Connor was still restrained, but he was laying flat on the bed, small tremors running through his body.

Gavin patted him clumsily on the shoulder.

“Fuck, you’re amazing.” He managed, getting his breath back. “Oh my fucking god.”

Connor gave a weak chuckle, clearly as out of it as Gavin was.

“Maybe I’ll do this to you next time.” He murmured, stretching like a contented cat.

Gavin paused. He wasn’t usually one to bottom, ignoring the fact that he had done so just last night. He didn’t _mind_ it, but he had never been fond of letting himself be in that position, feeling like it required a lot of trust. It went back to feeling like he had to appear tough, and someone letting slip that he liked bottoming wasn’t conductive to that. That notion was slipping away now, but there was a lingering sense of unease. He liked it intimate and slow when they switched, which was extra embarrassing. Connor wasn’t one to get embarrassed about much, and he trusted the android not to blurt anything out in public or tease him.

He _had_ been bottoming more often he realised, now he was with Connor.

Maybe he could try something a little more daring, although he was certain he wasn’t quite ready for the kind of fucking they had just engaged in.

“Maybe.” He shrugged, playing it off.

Connor made a noise and rattled the cuffs around his wrists, straining a little. “Can you take these off, please?” He asked, and Gavin swore.

“Shit, yeah. Sorry.” He mumbled, scrabbling around and cursing as he can up empty.

Connor seemed to get impatient, because the next thing Gavin knew, he was free and his cuffs were broken.

Gavin stared, and Connor had the grace to look abashed.

“I was uncomfortable,” he justified, and Gavin shook his head in wonder.

“I’m going to have to requisition new ones now, you realise?” He muttered, pretending that seeing Connor wriggle his way out of cuffs wasn’t the hottest fucking thing. The android wasn’t strong enough to rip through them with brute force, but he was wily enough to exploit some weakness that sheared the metal.

Connor propped himself up on his elbows and smiled at him, his innocent grin at odds with his debauched, rumpled appearance, and the broken cuffs in his hands.

“Sorry.”

Gavin clicked his tongue. “You don’t sound very sorry, you little shit.”

Eyes alight, Connor shuffled closer to him. “I am sorry.” He assured. “Very much so.”

Gavin snorted and leaned over to press a kiss to Connor’s messy hair. “We need to get up now if we’re going to be in one time.” He muttered, annoyed.

The android smiled at him, and made an effort to get up, his legs shaking. He bit his lip as he concentrated, and Gavin melted at the look on his face, his cheek dusted blue.

“Hurting?” He asked, sympathetic and a little guilty.

Connor smiled. “Not really, just waiting for my repair function to kick in. Nothing wrong, I just don't want to be limping into the precinct.”

Gavin sighed, and stretched, feeling lazy but awake. “C’mon. Shower, and then we’ll go.” He yawned.

Connor blinked lazily, his smile sweet and satisfied. It made Gavin feel pleased and not a little sexy. The wrong side of thirty five and he could still satisfy his boyfriend. Nice.

Mindful of their messy state, Connor shuffled up to him and curled up at his side to cuddle for a moment, his head on Gavin’s chest so he could listen to his heartbeat, one arm flung over his torso and the other pinned between them. Their legs tangled, and be felt Connor smile. He lifted his free hand and ran his fingers down Connor's spine, racing the shiver than ran down it.

“I love you.” He heard Connor mumble, the android kissing his skin affectionately. Gavin’s heart swelled, and he gave his lovers waist a squeeze.

“Yeah,” he said a little gruffly. “Love you, too.”

* * *

It was beyond awkward at the station.

Gavin had to get new handcuffs as soon as he could, in case he was caught flat footed without them.

That would be bad.

Being caught by Hank while he was filling in the request form wasn’t great.

Hank having a moment of clarity as he linked Gavin’s broken cuffs to the marks that were already fading on Connors wrists was deeply unfortunate.

Hank loudly cursing Gavin out for having kinky sex with his robot-son in the middle of the bullpen was fucking _terrible._

Connor hurried over and bodily dragged Hank away, the android’s cheeks a deep blue and his hands gripped tight on Hank's shirt.

Gavin just stood there like an idiot, his face burning an unattractive crimson. Chris was laughing at him.

With an awkward wobble, he sat down again, and let his head fall into his hands.

Fuck his whole _life._

“So uh, handcuffs huh?”

Gavin levelled a glare at his friend from where he was hanging his head. “On more word, I fucking swear...” he growled.

Chris grinned and held up hand hands. “Hey man, what you and Connor do with your cuffs in the privacy of your own-"

“Miller, I swear to fuck-"

Chris scooted away as he saw Gavin lurch up to do him bodily harm, laughing.

Red faced, Gavin grunted something uncomplimentary and controlled his breathing.

Maybe he and Connor needed a vacation.

Four hours of teasing and embarrassment later, he had booked a week off, persuaded Connor to do the same, and paid for lodging he’d found on a deal. He had also completed his paperwork, but who cared about that?

Camping in the wilderness sounded perfect, but Gavin was a city guy. So, a _cabin_ in some nature park was just wild enough for him, thank you very much.

Looking out of the window, he couldn’t help but get a little excited.

Visions of log cabins, hiking through the woods with pretty views and a prettier companion sounded awfully good.

Connor in plaid.

Connor being divested of his plaid on the floor of a wood cabin, in front of a fire.

Quickly swallowing saliva to prevent himself from drooling, Gavin focused his eyes back to his monitor, his cheeks flushed.

He occupied himself with work, brain on autopilot as he fantasised about exploring nature with Connor at his side, _Take Me Home, Country Roads_ playing on repeat in his head.

He wasn’t actually too far from West Virginia, but it was the thought that counted.

His afternoon consisted of helping Tina out when she brought in a struggling, sullen looking young man, hood over his face and the laces of his shoes permanently trailing undone.

Gavin sighed, and observed him through the glass, his arms folded. Tina was trying to get him to give up some information on his compatriots, who had fled the scene ever Tina and her partner had been called over a robbery.

Eventually, she gave in and stepped from the room, scowling. “You talk to him.” She demanded. “He thinks he’s a hard ass, but maybe someone like you could get him to open up.”

Gavin scowled. “What do you mean, ‘someone like me’?” He growled, irritated.

She tutted. “You, with that scowl and that jacket and your general air of thuggishness, he might see a kindred spirit in you.” She shrugged.

He gave her a look. “Thanks,” he muttered, sarcastic. “Fucking compliment of the century.”

With his mood soured and his expression like a thundercloud, he headed into the room.

The young man, barely seventeen according to his record, looked up with a scowl. He was slouched, and his face was covered in pimples, and he was attempting to grow some facial hair.

He was failing.

Gavin sighed and tossed the file onto the metal table.

“You ain’t getting nothin' from me, pig.” The youth spat, squaring his jaw.

Tina was right, he thought he was tough.

Gavin stayed standing, and folded his arms, the leather of his jacket creaking slightly as he moved.

“Okay.” He shrugged and watched the boy blink in surprise.

“To be fucking honest, I don’t wanna be in here.” Gavin said with candor. “I’m homicide, and I don’t usually deal with twerps like you until you’re dead.”

He shrugged. “But I’m doing a favour for a friend, so here I am. See, we don’t really need you.” He said like he was admitting something he shouldn’t. “We know you're guilty. Got CCTV and everything.”

“Why the fuck am I still here, then?” The youth asked, aggressive. “You haven’t got shit.”

Gavin rolled his eyes and stepped closer. He saw the boy's eyes linger on the scar over his nose.

“Because they wanna help you.” He said, grinning and gesturing to the door. “Now, I know fuckheads like you. You don’t wanna be helped, right?”

The boy glared. “I don’t need nothin’ from you.”

Gavin nodded. “Yeah, thought so. See, I know that. I know you’re the kind that will hang around street corners, heckling a pretty girl or boy and not taking no for an answer, even when they cry. You have your fun stealing shit you don’t need and getting into a fight over fucking nothing.”

“And one day, you'll get caught. You’ll bite off more than you can chew and suddenly, you’re in for twenty-five to life and your fucking life is _over._ Imagine. That’s longer than you’ve been alive. Now think of _twenty-five years_ inside.”

Gavin shook his head. “Or you’ll end up dead in a fucking alley, and I guess we'll meet again, huh?” He grinned, aware of how unsettling he looked. He was always good at this.

“So yeah. We don’t need you. I don’t really give a shit about worthless punks like you, so I’m just wasting time. You think I wanna be in here? I wanna be home right now, with my boyfriend and a fucking beer.” He laughed, harsh. The boy flinched. “We'll pick up your friends when they next do something stupid and get caught. It’s only a matter of time.” He shrugged. “Never know, if they tell us about more shit you’ve done in return for a reduced sentence, you’ll get a few years added on to your time in the hole.”

He grinned. “Man, I love tough guys like you. You get eaten alive in prison.” He shrugged, “I think my time is up. You wanna spill anything before I walk?” He asked, leaning against the wall with his arms folded. “We'll get your friends either way. Only thing that’ll change is your sentence. Not that I care.”

He watched the boy bite his lip.

* * *

Gavin always felt good after a successful interrogation.

He found Connor at his desk, eyes closed as he processed terabytes of data from the terminal in front of him. Gavin crept up behind him, mindful that Hank was only a few meters away, on the phone.

“Hey _Kusanagi_ , how’s it going?” he grinned as Connor twitched.

The android turned a look on him, grudgingly amused.

“Gavin,” he greeted, expression exasperated and fond. “Did your interrogation go well?”

Gavin shrugged. “Yeah. He was a little shit of a kid, not hard to figure out.”

Connor smiled. “It still deserves a ‘well done.” He said simply. Gavin grinned and perched himself on Connor’s desk, pleased to be around his lover.

“Guess what I’ve done.” He asked, excited and trying not to show it.

Connor raised an eyebrow, amused.

“Signed up for sensitivity training?”

Gavin blinked.

“What? The fuck would I do that? No.”

“Have you decided to quit and become a children’s entertainer?”

“Connor, c'mon.” Gavin pressed, his tone sounding suspiciously like a whine.

Connor gave a little grin, crooked and amused. Gavin couldn’t get mad at him.

“Okay. What have you done?” He asked patiently, his hands resting on the desk in front of him. His desk was spartan and clean, a single decoration on it in the form of a little glass and metal terrarium, geometric and immaculate. Little succulent plants were inside, mixed with artfully placed gravel and stones. Gavin didn’t know if it had been a gift, but it suited the android.

“We,” he announced. “Are going on vacation.”

Connor tilted his head.

“I assumed as much, considering you asked me to book time off.”

Gavin sighed. “You could at least pretend to be surprised.”

Connor shrugged. “You would know I was lying.”

He smiled up at Gavin, and the human relished the opportunity to look down on the tall android for once.

“Where are we going?” He asked, voice soft. “I’ve never been out of Detroit before.”

Gavin grinned. “Now that bit _is_ a surprise.” He assured. “But it’s away. You’ll need comfy clothes. No suits. Hiking boots, too.”

Connor looked desperately excited, and Gavin melted. “Are we going camping?” He asked, his hands twisting together as he thought about it.

Gavin shrugged, a smile curling over his mouth. “We might be.”

Connor beamed at him and pulled him in for a kiss. Gavin wobbled but managed to stay upright as he let himself be pulled down. The kiss was chaste and sweet, and they stayed close as the separated, foreheads touching.

“Gavin, thank you.” Connor murmured, brown eyes warm.

Gavin felt himself flush. “Don’t thank me yet,” he mumbled. “It might be shit.”

Connor huffed a small laugh, and kissed him again, quick and impulsive. Gavin couldn’t get enough of Connor's kisses. His mouth was always soft and warm, even when he was kissing Gavin like he was going to eat him.

Gavin closed his eyes and savoured the sweet, unhurried nature of it all, drunk on affection.

“You two are so fucking gay.”

Gavin glanced up to see Hank watching them with a grumpy, amused expression, arms folded and leaning back in his chair.

Connor twisted around to look at his father figure. He shrugged sort of helplessly.

“That is not inaccurate.” The android allowed, and Gavin couldn’t contain an inelegant snort.

“Guilty.” He said with a lopsided shrug. “I’ve still got a flag or two from Pride.”

Hank stared. “You? _You_ went to Pride?” He asked, expression disbelieving.

Gavin nodded, amused. He liked messing with people’s expectations.

“Yeah, during college. I was in the ‘out and proud’ phase back then. I think I wore a neon crop top and leather pants. I looked fucking stupid. I did drag once too.” He smirked, and Hank blinked at him. “I was fucking good, may I say.”

“You... you did?”

Gavin looked down at Connor, who was gnawing on his bottom lip and looking very curious.

“Yeah. I’ll show you a picture when we get home.” He said with a grin. “I think I still have the pants too.”

Connor smiled, and brushed his hand over the one Gavin was using to brace himself on the desk.

“In that case, I would suggest you finish your work quickly, so we can go home and you can show me.” The android said simply, his tone even. Gavin flushed and grinned, knowing full well what the android was implying.

Hank made a disgusted sound like he had figured it out too.

“Aw c'mon Connor, I don’t wanna hear you flirting with Reed.”

Connor gave Hank an apologetic smile but didn’t move.

“Sorry Hank, but I don’t want my boyfriend to think I don’t appreciate him.” The android teased, and Hank shook his head in wonder.

“Boyfriend. Fuckin’ _boyfriend_.” The lieutenant muttered, giving them both a look. “I dunno which surprised me more, the fact that you’re bent or that you’re shacking up with this douchebag.”

Gavin scowled. “Hey-"

Connor squeezed his hand and gave Hank a look.

The older man held his hands up in surrender. “Hey, I got no problem with it. Well, I still think you can do better than Reed, but that’s because I have no respect for him.”

Gavin stuck his middle finger up at his colleague, noting the slight smirk on Hank’s bearded face.

“Just for that, I’m gonna go home and do kinky gay shit with your robo-son, and there’s nothing you can do to about it.” He leered meanly, and Connor rolled his eyes. “And now I’ve said it, you can’t unthink it, can you?”

Connor sighed in a very put-upon way, and stood up, grabbing Gavin by his collar and pulling him away.

Hank was red in the face and glaring at the reminder, and Gavin gave him a shit-eating grin and a double flip off as he was bodily removed from the man’s presence.

Gavin struggled against Connor, not appreciating how the android was bodily dragging him away.

“Connor- Fuckin' hell you’re strong- you’re f’king strangling me you fucker! Put me the fuck down!”

Connor shoved him forward and Gavin stumbled, suddenly worried he had genuinely pissed the android off. He wobbled and maintained his balance, blearily looking around and opening his mouth to ask why they were in the supply room.

He never got the chance, as his mouth was suddenly very occupied by Connor's, and the android pressed him against the wall, hands impatiently plucking at his clothes.

Gavin felt light headed, suddenly horny, and very, very confused.

Connor grinned at him.

“I want to go on that vacation with you, hold your hand and listen to your heartbeat,” he murmured, mouth brushing the shell of Gavin’s ear. “But I also want to go home and fuck you so hard your neighbours know my name.”

If all his blood had not immediately rushed to his dick, Gavin would have wondered why Connor called his apartment ‘home'.

“Fuck, Connor...” he groaned. “You can't say shit like that just because I mouthed off to Daddy-Cop.”

Connor gave an impish little grin, and ground against him again.

“But I thought about you in those pants...” he murmured, looking at him from under his lashes. “And I couldn't help myself.”

Gavin bit his lip. On one hand, this was their workplace, and anyone could decide they needed a stapler and walk in on them.

On the other hand, Connor was massaging his crotch and biting his lip with a hopeful, eager look on his face.

His tongue peeked out to moisten his lip and Gavin snapped.

“Oh, _fuck it.”_

He growled and pulled Connor in for a rough, bruising kiss.

He just about had time to see the smug, wickedly pleased look on Connor’s face before he closed his eyes and his mind turned to mush.

If he was going to be fired, being caught making out with his over-sexed android boyfriend in the supply room wasn’t a terrible way to go.

And with how Connor was running one hand under his shirt and the other was firmly grabbing Gavin’s crotch, he was going to have a lot of fun before the end.

* * *

Gavin was going to have an aneurysm before he hit forty, he was sure.

He watched Connor stand back up and straighten his tie as he licked his lips, wiping his mouth with his fingers as he gave Gavin an impish smile.

Gavin just about had time to tuck himself back into his pants and straighten his shirt before Connor was slipping out of the supply room with a saucy wink, leaving him alone and dazed.

Holy _shit_.

He felt a smile spread over his face. Fuck, he was the luckiest man on planet earth.

He left the room a few moment later with a grin and a set of new pens.

Hank shot him a glare as he walked past his desk, and he gave the man a raised eyebrow.

Hank's beloved robo-son had just shoved him against a wall and sucked him off at work, and Gavin could be content in the knowledge that Hank was very, very wrong if he thought Gavin was corrupting Connor.

The android didn’t need _any_ help in that department.

Gavin couldn’t help but feel on cloud nine as he and Connor prepared for their upcoming vacation.

Connor was excited, and it showed, and his enthusiasm was adorable.

They walked hand in hand out of the outdoor equipment store, enjoying the crisp weather and the colour of the leaves. Gavin felt nice, bundled up in a coat and scarf and holding his boyfriends’ hand as they walked.

They were just another couple walking in the city, and no one seemed to pay them any mind. It set him at ease, and the anxiety of being seen as soft or pathetic that had plagued him at the beginning of their relationship was faded to almost nothing.

Connor was talking about what the salesman had been telling him about boots, and Gavin was half-listening.

He was watching Connor as the android recited some fact or figure and felt his chest bloom with warm affection. He was overtaken by the urge to drop their bags and wrap Connor in his arms and squeeze him, but he resisted the temptation.

Life seemed to have so much more colour in it now, he admitted. He had been so deep in his lonely hole, so removed from everyone and everything around him that he hadn’t noticed she it had become crippling.

Coming home to the lights on and Connor on his sofa had been a revelatory experience. The android wasn’t always there of course, and Gavin usually missed him when he wasn’t, but those short breaks didn’t seem so bad when he knew Connor was only a text message away.

Gavin liked his alone time more than most people, and he suspected Connor did too.

The android liked people and being around them, but even Gavin could see that he found it all rather overwhelming on occasion, his cool-headed demeanour giving way to snappy, defensive panic.

He squeezed Connor's hand and smiled when the android squeezed back unthinkingly, still talking.

He wanted to come home to Connor more often.

Connor needed out of that shit hole be called an apartment.

His own place was better now, but still a little small for two.

He was getting ahead of himself.

Maybe Connor wouldn’t even want to? Why should he?

Doubts were small wriggly things that burrowed into Gavin’s brain and made him scared. When he was scared, he was defensive, and he knew all too well how mean he could be when he felt cornered.

He unconsciously pressed closer to Connor, who seemed to read that he wanted some closeness. Smiling, the android let go of his hand only to slip it around his waist.

Gavin felt his warmth seep through their clothes, contrasting with the crisp autumn air. It was fresh and cold, and Gavin had always loved fall.

Connor glanced at him, and the android tilted his head.

Gavin thought he looked like a puppy.

“Do you want a milkshake?” He asked, voice low and serious.

Gavin couldn’t help an almost hysterical laugh. Connor was so adorable when he was being earnest. The android seemed to use milkshakes as a weird sort of code for Gavin needing some time to get his head in order, which was sweet.

He softened, telling his nerves to fuck off and never come back. That didn’t work, of course, but it made him feel a little better.

“Yeah.”

Connor nodded as if that was all he needed, which it probably was. He adjusted their course and soon they were walking the familiar route to the little cafe where Connor had once taken him after a panic attack. It was soothing in a way, remembering those times and how Connor was still by his side.

Most people would have left by now.

Many had.

He took a shaky breath, his stomach rolling. Connor didn’t seem like he was going anywhere.

He wanted to tie the android to him, make sure Connor wouldn’t go. Gavin needed him, had to keep him close.

He knew overbearing wasn’t attractive in anyone, and his own brand of standoffish independence clashed with his slightly clingy need for stability.

Head spinning, he let Connor drag him inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This weeks update is on Friday because I'm on holiday for the coming week. Next week will hopefully update on Sunday, if I'm able!


End file.
